Killing Jose Rizal once again
Doctor Jose Rizal goes down . . .
By Joe America
Jose Rizal is best found in his writings, in his ideas, his resistance to oppression, his recognition of indolence and how poverty and disenfranchisement create it, and his belief in Filipino independence and self-determination.
He was a genius, an artist, a lover, an inventor, and a hero by being what a lot of Filipinos could be, if only their stupid government would free them, really free them, rather than keep them oppressed.
Today, the oligarchs have replaced the Spanish, self-dealing power-brokers of no moral bearing whatsoever have replaced the priests, and the ‘yellows’ have replaced the rebels, where yellows are advocates of democracy and human rights.
This is the line of work being undertaken today by the Philippine State:
- Jail Senator De Lima on the strength of the President’s vindictive anger, not evidence.
- Inject death as a way to resolve problems and intimidate people. Toss in Martial Law to make sure the whole nation bows before power.
- Accuse innocents of subversion and “eventually we’ll have to shoot them to shut them up”.
The ‘yellows’ are one presidential speech away from replacing druggies as a dire threat to the state.
Well, it is a very insecure state, after all. It has to lie to justify things, hire horrid men who in a decent society would be in jail, assign scapegoats, claim credit for things it had absolutely nothing to do with, vilify good people, emotionalize the ignorant and rally their anger to mob irrationality, and all the other acts of people who are fully aware both of their incompetence and their power.
But my point here is that the ‘yellows’ are essentially people who took Jose Rizal, and his ideas, to heart and mind. They are not much different from the good Doctor, although he could speak a few more languages and write like the wind. They want civility, order and fairness under laws, and self-determination through legitimate representatives who have the moral strength to cite an oath and then deliver on it.
The ‘yellows’ are the villains today, as were the rebels in 1897. The current government would for sure by threatened by Dr. Rizal. And it certainly appears to me that these power-brokers are lining up to shoot him once again.
Or whoever best represents the Doctor these days.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
*******
The YELLOWS are
The BRIGHTEST
and thus
The BEST!
*****
”Or whoever best represents the Doctor these days.”
Bato? 🙂
🙂
Hahaha.
Bato claimed that he is a proud descendant of Rizal.
Maybe he used all the forensic resources of the PNP to verify that.
From his speech he said, he found out when he read the family tree of Rizal, that there is an Ines Dela Rosa included in the mother’s side of Rizal.
He used all this years funds to find out he and Rizal have the same hair style… 🙂
Office of the President’s confidential and intelligence funds
2017: P2.5 billion
2016: P500 million
Up by 400%
National Intelligence Coordinating Agency
2017: P793.7 million
2016: P581.9 million
Up by 36%
Cost to use US intelligence, $0.
+1
While Rizal, the reformist, was the leading light of Filipino nationalism leading to 1896, it was Bonifacio who set the revolution in motion by leading the Katipunan. The erudite Rizal spoke brilliantly to the ilustrados, but it was Bonifacio who had the common touch, who knew how to speak in the language of the masses, who wielded their shared imagination.
In that way, our current government possesses the popular spirit of Bonifacio. But whereas the real Bonifacio waged a pure and moral revolution, this government is misusing its common touch for a corrupt and unenlightened war on drugs, and on rationality. The real Bonifacio admired Rizal; this administration is anti-Rizal.
Enlightening perspective, DJR. Thanks!
Duck, Joe.
From my readings of PH history, Dr Jose Rizal was a defined national hero, defined by a foreign government wishing to found a would-be country from its own indigenous “materials” to be fashioned in ITS OWN IMAGE. There is no ambiguity in the antecedents of the pronoun ‘its.’ One is Filipino, the other is American. There were no ambiguities in the intentions of the original principals of guardian and ward. Different molds have been tried for every stage of this would-be State. Either principal has been trying to shake off the other.
The synthesis is on-going.
But N’Herrera, some history : Rizal started out as a Spanish loyalist, loving the Spanish language and culture and lived in Spain for some years. All his major writings were originally written in Spanish. And he was a son of a family which was landowning as well…And thus part of the Filipino local elite.. It was this status which permitted him to attend college in Manila.
It was only after the Spanish reactionary regime in Madrid, rejected the modest proposals for Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes, while living in Spain and then other countries of Europe, that he became a Filipino nationalist.
And even then after he returned to the Philippines, he volunteered to go to Cuba to work there as a doctor when a medical emergency happened. He was on the way to Cuba when the Spanish colonial government in Manila recalled him from Guam for ‘setup’ trial by a colonial government that was reactionary even by Spanish standards. His execution followed that cooked up trial.
The American conquest of the Philippines in 1898 I think erased some of the peculiarly Spanish heritage. Who in the Philippines wanted any association things Spanish after the Americans had definitively defeated them and shown them to be a singularly backward European nation !!
But then again much of the old ‘vida y cultura espanol’ remains under the veneer of modern life in the Philippines. The ingrained political habit of local oligarchs & princelings seeking favors from the current leader is one that was brought to the Philippines by the Spanish.
For 6 years to 2016, it was Aquino of the Liberal Yelows,who was that leader and huge numbers of politicos clustered around him seeking favor and offering support. But it is now Duterte who is the Leader and so as always the politicos cluster around him for the same reasons.
I suspect that hardly any political party in the Philippines has ‘principles’ as such. It’s all about who you ‘know’ and what that relationship can serve to help and protect.
Bill,
You seem to confuse Sonny and NHerrera.
Both have beautiful minds.
+1 🙂
karl,
Thank you for your very generous thought. I will try to deserve it. But there are really a lot of those with even more beautiful minds in TSH, yours included.
I am trying to catch up on what I have missed. I am now on Wil’s De Lima blog.
Sorry for the late reply, indeed there is a lot of beautiful minds here at TSOH, as for me,I will try hard to deserve it.🙂
Anyone can correct me.
You maybe right that Rizal belonged to a landowning family.
His nationalism developed when GomBurZa got executed, he was just ten then.
You are correct that his writings were in Spanish and according to historians, he had difficulty in Tagalog.
He allegedly wrote “To My Fellow Youth” in tagalog at age 8, but it was written by others according to several historians.
After learning that he was not fluent in Tagalog maybe his entire life, does that mean he does not deserve to be our National Hero?
The recomendees of the National Hero Commission has not been acted upon by congress, even Bills to make Rizal our hero is still pending.
The debate whether or not June 12th is the independence day or July 4th, does not remove the fact that many patriots died for our nation.
Rizal may have turned down leading the revolution, but he was still an icon and his death still made an impact.
Karl. the purpose of my comment was not to disparage Rizal as Filipino national hero. He was ! And I did indeed visit the site of his execution in Luneta Park in Manila. I was ( and stil am ) disgusted at the behaviour of the utterly barbaric Spanish rulers of the Philippines.
But the facts of Rizal’s life tell us a lot about what he was trying to achieve as a doctor, a philosopher, an idealist, and as a man of politics. He wanted and aimed for a peace full change : a self governing Philippines which was still a part of the Hispanic world along with all the other new Hispanic nations in Latin America like Mexico, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Chile, etc. etc..
These nations started the process of gaining their independence from Spain in the Napoleonic wars after 1805 after Spain was occupied by Napoleon’s armies and ruled by Napoleon’s brother installed as the Spanish king in Madrid. Mostly they gained it through military means : War. They did it with a lot of help from Britain from 1805 -1815 as the British Royal navy ruled the seas and Spain could not send troops to Latin America. But Spain fought back afresh after 1815 and tried to reconquer these new nations. It finally lost that war with the defeat of it’s last army in Peru/Bolivia in the 1820’s.
But a backwards looking Spain did not ‘recognise’ the former colonies as independent nations until the 1840’s…Independence took years of war and a complete severance of all the old cultural, economic and social ties with Spain for decades.
Rizal wanted to avoid all this lengthy destructive and debilitating process. He sought a peaceful constructive path toward self government and then finally independence. He did not want the Philippines to become separated from it’s Spanish heritage. In my opinion it was this that made Rizal a true hero of the Philippines. ( I also wonder if Rizal was influenced by the example here in Australia where all the British colonies were given self government in the 1850’s under the British empire’s umbrella. )
But what was the final outcome ?
1 Rizal was executed !
2 The revolutionaries started the war for independence from Spain
3 : It almost achieved the defeat of the Spanish colonial regime on Luzon. Only Manila was still under Spanish control
4 : At this stage the USA intervened and seized Manila and allowed the Spanish to withdraw.
5 To legalise it’s position, the USA concluded a treaty with Spain,. The USA paid Spain for it’s Philippines colony and Guam and Cuba. The USA bought the Philippines.
6 : After first encouraging the Filipino revolutionary forces against Spain, the USA decided it wanted to occupy the Philippines. The USA sent armed forces to the Philippines. And over a period of 4-5 years the revolutionary forces were either defeated or destroyed.
7 The USA adopted a policy of ‘Americanisation’ in the Philippines. The official language became English. The language of education became English. The law of the USA Congress became paramount. Almost all the Spanish descended inhabitants of the Philippines left the Philippines forever. These measures served to cut off the Philippines from it’s own history and culture.
8 When independence was gained in 1946, it was because it was offered by the USA at a time when the Philippines was devastated by 4 years of war between the USA & Japan.
9 Independence offer came with American ‘strings’.
Modern politics in the Philippines is a consequence of all these twisted complex, conflicting historical processes. It ain’t easy !
Many thanks for your clarification and additional enlightening points.
By the way, I do not want to belittle Rizal. From my youth we were taught that the lines: ” Ang hindi marunong magmahal sa sariling wika ay higit pa sa malansang isda.” Loosely translated to: ” Those who do not love their own mother tongue is worse than the stench of a smelly fish”.
Then I read articles from historians which give new meaning to fake news.
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/506534/opinion/kasaysayan-hindi-si-rizal-ang-sumulat-ng-sa-aking-mga-kabata
So learning is a continuous process, and we must verify almost everything.
A nice fundamental brief. I’ll provide a little shading.
The fundamental question in America after the war was whether or not Filipinos were capable of governing themselves. For many, it was a racial condescension, for others, they watched the infighting among Filipinos with dismay and said ‘no’. There were also strong advocates for independence in the US from the getgo, Mark Twain among the most well-known. It is always helpful to view America as a vibrant battleground of competing ideas, and one operating in favor of some always imperfect self-interest.
The path to independence started way before WW II:
Wiki: “The United States established the Insular Government to rule the Philippines.[12] In 1907, the elected Philippine Assembly was convened as the lower house of a bicameral legislature and in 1916 the U.S. Federal Government formally promised independence in the Jones Act.[12] The Philippine Commonwealth was established in 1935, as a 10-year interim step prior to full independence.[13] Before independence, World War II began and Japan occupied the Philippines.[14] After the end of the war, the Treaty of Manila established an independent Philippine Republic.[15]”
Also, no nation is separated from it’s own history or culture. It is what it is, as Australia is no longer aboriginal. The Spanish had 500 years of cultural engagement here, and more people are named Villanueva than Smith. The idea that Spanish influence got on a boat and left is wrong, as can be verified by counting cathedrals.
I’d say the greatest American failing was not effectively separating the nation from its culture and history of tribal warlordism. The US established the school system broadly across the land, so Filipinos are well educated and compete globally for skill jobs. But the tribalism and lack of national harmony persist.
Bill, your comment caused me to go back to refresh myself on the Taft governorship. I’ll put the whole thing here, as it is a fascinating period. From Wiki:
Philippine years
In January 1900, Taft was called to Washington to meet with McKinley. Taft hoped a Supreme Court appointment was in the works, but instead McKinley wanted to place Taft on the commission to organize a civilian government in the Philippines. The appointment would require Taft’s resignation from the bench; the president assured him that if he fulfilled this task, McKinley would appoint him to the next vacancy on the high court. Taft accepted on condition he was made head of the commission, with responsibility for success or failure; McKinley agreed, and Taft sailed for the islands in April 1900.[23]
The American takeover meant the Philippine Revolution bled into the Philippine–American War, as Filipinos fought for their independence, but U.S. forces, led by military governor General Arthur MacArthur, Jr.[g] had the upper hand by 1900. MacArthur felt the commission was a nuisance, and their mission a quixotic attempt to impose self-government on a people unready for it. The general was forced to co-operate with Taft, as McKinley had given the commission control over the islands’ military budget.[24] The commission took executive power in the Philippines on September 1, 1900; on July 4, 1901, Taft became civilian governor. MacArthur, until then the military governor, was relieved by General Adna Chaffee, who was designated only as commander of American forces.[25]
Taft sought to make the Filipinos partners in a venture that would lead to their self-government; he saw independence as something far off. Many Americans in the Philippines viewed the locals as racial inferiors, but Taft wrote soon before his arrival, “we propose to banish this idea from their minds”.[26] Taft did not impose racial segregation at official events, and treated the Filipinos as social equals.[27] Nellie Taft recalled that “neither politics nor race should influence our hospitality in any way”.[28]
McKinley was assassinated in September 1901, and was succeeded by Theodore Roosevelt. Taft and Roosevelt had first become friends around 1890 while Taft was Solicitor General and Roosevelt a member of the Civil Service Commission. Taft had, after McKinley’s election, urged the appointment of Roosevelt as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and watched as Roosevelt became a war hero, Governor of New York, and Vice President of the United States. They met again when Taft went to Washington in January 1902 to recuperate after two operations caused by an infection.[29] There, Taft testified before the Senate Committee on the Philippines. Taft wanted Filipino farmers to have a stake in the new government through land ownership, but much of the arable land was held by Catholic religious orders of mostly Spanish priests, which were often resented by the Filipinos. Roosevelt had Taft go to Rome to negotiate with Pope Leo XIII, to purchase the lands and to arrange the withdrawal of the Spanish priests, with Americans replacing them and training locals as clergy. Taft did not succeed in resolving these issues on his visit to Rome, but an agreement on both points was made in 1903.[30]
In late 1902, Taft had heard from Roosevelt that a seat on the Supreme Court would soon fall vacant on the resignation of Justice George Shiras, and Roosevelt desired that Taft fill it. Although this was Taft’s professional goal, he refused as he felt his work as governor was not yet done.[31] One reason for Roosevelt’s action was his desire to neutralize a potential rival for the presidency: Taft’s success in the Philippines had not gone unnoticed in the American press.[32] The following year, Roosevelt asked Taft to become Secretary of War. As the War Department was responsible for the Philippines, Taft would remain responsible for the islands, and Root was willing to postpone his departure until 1904, allowing Taft time to wrap up his work in Manila. After consulting with his family, Taft agreed, and sailed for the United States in December 1903.[33]
Joe, I’m glad you plumbed the depth of American colonial involvement with the Filipinos. Using a historical subset of the points you surfaced above, I concluded that the Philippines was a Galatea to America’s really hesitant Pygmalion, not in love like the myth but the historians are more accurate to label the relationship as between guardian and ward. This “relationship” can be clearly followed with reflection on the Schurman Commission and the mind and heart of Howard Taft. Hence my bias to the American side when following the executive presence of America for the duration – even up to the present, albeit in its attenuated form and intensity.
It was a fascinating period, for sure. America was just becoming a global power and learning how tricky it is to meld national interests with people of entirely different cultural make-up. She’s still struggling with it, the load assigned anyone of power, having a bit of conscience.
Joe, there is no point in arguing about the details of that piece in Wikipedia, even though it was probably written by an American. And among the men installed by the US government in power were many who saw the injustice of what had happened and sought to make amends in the way that they lived and worked in the new US administration of the Philippines
The issue I want to point out is that Rizal was attempting a peaceful cooperative move to self government and then independence for the Philippines which would have preserved far more the hispanic aspects of Filipino culture & life. Can any of us imagine an independent Spanish speaking ‘hispanic’ Philippines.
All of those ‘Rizalian’ dream were destroyed.
It was the path not taken.
Yes, never trust the idea if it came from an American.
Blot on an immaculate linen
Definitely, against the backdrop of the great American heritage, this McKinley misadventure in the Philippines was destined to become an ugly episode in the glorious pages of American history. It would be a contradiction to the long held constitutional and democratic principles of liberty that the American people hold dear – that men are created equal and have inherent rights to freedom and democracy. Certainly, American authorities would not allow the true story of Philippine conquest blemish American honor. Therefore, it would be logical to assume that steps were taken to muddle this section of Filipino history, erase it from the memory of the Filipinos, make them forget the horrors they went through, and hide it from the prying eyes of future generation.
True enough, steps were taken to make Filipinos forget!
War relics and voluminous captured Filipino government records and documents officially labeled as Philippine Insurgents Records (PIR) were shipped to the United States. American teachers came to inaugurate an American-sponsored public school system. English supplanted Spanish, a language change that was not done by the Americans in Puerto Rico or Cuba, and with it went the loss of Hispanic literary and intellectual heritage, making the succeeding generation of Filipinos fertile grounds for the propagation of the good sound stock of American ideas.
Filipino schoolchildren were taught to revere America, and belittle the land of their birth. The first line of a beautiful Tagalog love song, for instance, was translated to English with emphasis on the state of being borne poor, instead of placing the focus on the demigod character of the hero, who was born on top of a mountain with the clouds as his cradle; he played with thunder and was caressed by lightning. In another case, the popular Tagalog folk song, the bahay-kubo, was translated to English as “My nipa hut is very small”, again, the emphasis on smallness. And yet this popular folk song is supposed to depict a prosperous small rural farm where all kinds of vegetables abound.
Another important step that American authorities did was discredit Aguinaldo and designate Rizal as the hero of the Filipinos. Carl Crow, says:
“Among other things the Filipino people lacked to make them a nation was a hero – a safe hero, the only safe ones, of course, being dead. Aguinaldo held the highest place in the eyes of his countrymen, as the leader of the recent insurrection, but he was … one who might be of considerable danger to the American administration. It was expedient to establish a hero whose fame would overshadow that of Aguinaldo, and thereby lessen that leader’s ability to make future trouble. … Governor Taft, … at once fixed on Jose Rizal…” (Crow, 53).
The designation of Jose Rizal as the national hero was calculated not only to lessen Aguinaldo’s ability to make future trouble. It had the effect also, and this is the more important, of making future generation of Filipinos identify the Spaniards as villains and the Americans as saviors. On the other hand, if Aguinaldo were the national hero, future celebration of the hero’s day would not only highlight the victory over the Spaniards by the Filipinos and the government they established, but also the unjust war of conquest waged by President McKinley on the Filipinos to deprive them of their freedom. The choice of Rizal over Aguinaldo saved the Americans from being remembered as the butcher of the Filipinos, the pillager of their land, and the destroyer of their republic.
The new Filipino
From the day the American colonial administration was inaugurated in 1901 the new Filipino emerged, known today as the little brown Americans. These are Filipinos by appearance, but Americans in thought, word and deed. True to Harrison’s specifications, the new Filipino spoke English very fluently, knew much about American ideals, history, arts, literature and music by heart, but have a very vague notion of their ancestors’ struggle for freedom, or their sacred dreams and aspirations that drove them to arms. They would usually turn into very competent professionals, but would lack one very important trait – patriotism, thanks to the methodical classroom strategy that Harrison described.
While the legislature, the judiciary and executive cabinet positions were filipinized during the later part of American colonial government the Department of Education was kept under American control. The process of making Filipinos forget did not stop after the Americans let go of the Philippines in 1946. A Grade IV pupil in the year 1951 was still being taught to sing Star spangled banner, God bless America, etc. By the time the same child stepped into High School, he would be made to study American history on the First Year and in later years memorize the address of Lincoln at Gettysburg and the poem, The Song of Hiawatha. In other words, for more than five decades the Filipino was subjected to something that was considered in the cold war as diabolical – brainwashing.
In sum, the American conquest of the Philippines was not just a case of subjugating an unwilling people. It was also a case of making the same people forget that they were subjugated.
…The best recourse of the Filipino would be to reclaim the patriotic character of the heroes held hostage by the muddled past, and to acknowledge that the Filipino race could accomplish great things just as Aguinaldo did. It will give the Filipino today the confidence, strength and courage to remedy the present and approach the future.
But a nation can only succeed if the people makes sacrifices. And without patriotism there can be no sacrifice.
http://macapili-filipino.blogspot.it/2007/04/why-filipinos-are-not-patriotic-people.html?spref=fb&m=1
Thanks for the post, Mac. It’s great to hear from you again. You infuse new thinking into old histories and were a main inspiration to my blog writing. Be well.
As to the content of the article, it comes across clearly that America was acting in what leaders believed was the national interest. The essential point, though, is that, even today, with all this knowledge and insight readily available, why do Filipinos persist in harming themselves? You get to that point, lack of patriotic unity. You say the Americans destroyed it. I claim tribalism is in the genes, and was never destroyed by anyone. But either way, blames need an expiration date. At some point, Filipinos must WANT accountability. Then things can change for the better.
*******
1. On its face, the events of history cannot be changed.
1.1. But the facts about the events of history are established by our peculiar lens so that the events themselves – and indeed the “facts” about them — lend themselves to error and to misinterpretation.
2. ”Blot on an immaculate linen.”
2.1. This begs the question: Was the linen immaculate?
3. ”English supplanted Spanish, a language change that was not done by the Americans in Puerto Rico or Cuba, and with it went the loss of Hispanic literary and intellectual heritage, making the succeeding generation of Filipinos fertile grounds for the propagation of the good sound stock of American ideas.”
3.1. In the close to 4 centuries of Spain’s “misadventure” – to use the term applied to America’s colonization – Spanish was not adopted as a common language. Isn’t it true that the Spanish colonizers did not endeavor to teach the language to keep the natives ignorant? So is the claim that “English supplanted Spanish” true?
3.2. Exactly of what did the “loss of the Hispanic literary and intellectual heritage” consist? Except for religion and trade, what philosophical, social and political ideas did Spain bequeath?
4. ”Filipino schoolchildren were taught to revere America, and belittle the land of their birth. The first line of a beautiful Tagalog love song…”
4.1. Isn’t it natural that colonizers would teach allegiance to the mother country?
4.2. What is that beautiful Tagalog love song?
4.3. The first two lines of “Bahay Kubo” are:
”Bahay kubo, kahit munti
Ang halaman doon, ay sari sari…”
4.3.1. The literal translation of the first two lines, as lifted from the Internet, are:
Nipa hut, even though it is small,
The plants that grow around it are varied…
4.3.2. Agreed that the translation of the first line to “My nipa hut is very small” emphasizes smallness.
4.3.3. But isn’t this poetic license to draw the contrast between smallness and largeness, between, yes, insignificance and grandeur? Between what is man-made vs. God-given? And isn’t smallness cute?
4.3.4. Why interpret this as belittlement? Why the cultural cringe?
5. ” The designation of Jose Rizal as the national hero was calculated not only to lessen Aguinaldo’s ability to make future trouble. It had the effect also, and this is the more important, of making future generation of Filipinos identify the Spaniards as villains and the Americans as saviors.”
5.1. As it is natural for a colonizer to teach allegiance, shouldn’t it also be natural to teach their highest cultural values?
5.2.What cultural and religious values did Spain teach?
5.2.1. The Padrino system that is the basis of corruption?
5.2.2. The religious rites that are practiced and the religious norms that are not?
5.3. What lasting institutions did Spain bequeath?
5.4. In contrast, the “good sound stock of American ideas” consisted of liberal democracy upon which our present-day institutions of government are based.
6. ” In sum, the American conquest of the Philippines was not just a case of subjugating an unwilling people. It was also a case of making the same people forget that they were subjugated.
6.1. And how would the Spanish conquest be summed? America granted independence in less than half a century… after an acknowledged transfer of knowledge and education. Spain subjugated a “willing” people for centuries with a deliberate attempt to keep the people uneducated.
7. ”…The best recourse of the Filipino would be to reclaim the patriotic character of the heroes held hostage by the muddled past, and to acknowledge that the Filipino race could accomplish great things just as Aguinaldo did.”
7.1. There is an ongoing debate as to who is greater – Bonifacio or Aguinaldo. Aguinaldo is seen by some as the first Trapo.
7.2. The patriotic character of such heroes as Bonifacio, Rizal, and Mabini is not in doubt; Aguinaldo’s is. But the assumption seems to be that the Filipino patriotic character was fully formed by the time of American colonization, and there is simply a need to reclaim it.
7.3. From what we see today, this assumption that Filipinos are fully patriotic is simply not tenable.
7.4. The identity of the Filipino patriot was not fully forged at Aguinaldo’s time. It is still being formed today.
*****
Thank you, Edgar.
Great piece Macapili.
1. Were those post fact analysis by historians, or were they actually well-devised plans executed to the letter?
2.. It took a huge diabolical plot by the Americans to wash away 100 year memories of US misdeeds. Yet it took nothing much for Filipinos to forget Marcos’ misdeeds in less than 10 years. Does’nt add up.
http://macapili-filipino.blogspot.it/2007/04/why-filipinos-are-not-patriotic-people.html?spref=fb&m=1
Great article…….
I love the conclusion…….here is the excepts!
” In other words, the malaise that afflicts the Filipino character will remain unrecognized and no serious steps will be taken to correct it. Unless the Filipino national character change the heavy burden of corrupted sense of identity will blur the vision of the future and the Filipino will be confused which path leads to national liberation . The salvation of the Filipino will not come from foreign aid, foreign investment, preferential treatment, free trade , or from remittances of OFWs. Rather, it would depend primarily on the rejuvenation of the Filipino mind, the rekindling the spirit of 1898 – the love of country and the aspiration to be free and independent. The best recourse of the Filipino would be to reclaim the patriotic character of the heroes held hostage by the muddled past, and to acknowledge that the Filipino race could accomplish great things just as Aguinaldo did. It will give the Filipino today the confidence, strength and courage to remedy the present and approach the future.”
“But a nation can only succeed if the people makes sacrifices. And without patriotism there can be no sacrifice.”
Good to hear from Macapili again. The lack of patriotic unity maybe because the genetic tribalsm within us.
Movies and stories of Andres Bonfacio and Antonio Luna , cinematic and literary effects notwithstanding, clearly showed the lack of patriotic unity and tribalism.
Moving on to the present, we have MLQ3 mentioning NIMBY governance, all of these concepts in addition to our geographic, topographic, and other divides, means that the federalism system of governance will most likely divide us further.
Quite possibly. If no anti-dynasty legislation accompanies it, we could call the president a temporary monarch and the provinces dukedoms.
All hail the temporary monarch and long live the duke.
I think there is a misunderstanding.
I’d just like to clarify that I am not the same person as the author of the source blog.
I just stumbled upon the blog and decided to share the article here as I thought that it was an excellent article. Just adopted the name as it seems suited.
(Also note that the blog itself, linked above, and all its other articles are also worth checking out.)
Okay, thanks for the clarification. Be well just the same. I read the articles years ago, and agree they are worth checking out.
OK.
I thought you were the author of the blog you linked. A few weeks ago, magdiwang also shared the blog.
Thanks.
I am glad that this discussion has happened and happy that I played a role in initiating it.
There is one point I would like to add : the ‘conflicted’ character of being Filipino. In the 19th Century, Filipinos were expected to model after the Spanish and other Hispanic peoples of the world.After 1898, that changed completely and Filipinos were expected to model themselves on Americans with a totally different cultural, linguistic and ethic heritage. Briefly from 1942-4 Filipinos were expected to model themsleves on the Japanese !
And after that from 1945, they were again expected to be American in character, language etc…Finally in the 1970’s during Marcos’ rule Filipinos were supposed to be “Pilipinos” speaking Tagalog – distinct from anywhere else in the region or the the world.
The lack of stability has a confusing impact on the psyche.
Working through this confusion takes time
Do you think it will work if Filipinos model on the Chinese?
Ahhh Karl… What a question ? The answer is No. But it would take a whole long book to explain why.
Bill,
I was not the one who asked, but the question was interesting.
I also find interest in your observation about the conflcted character of the Filipino.
I propose we call ourselves PINOYSIAN, model NEW-Filipino in Asia………
We are Spanish occupied people in Asia…….kumpak definition.
Tumpak na Pinoy kababayan definition…..after all in Southeast Asia we have Indonesian, Malaysian, Singaporean, Polynesian, Micronesian, Austronisian, etc
The New-Filipino people is Pinoysian…..hehe…….Tumpak!
Chemrock, sorry I misdirected my reply last night to your question.. It was late here last night and I was running on empty !
Oldmania, “Pinoysian” is an interesting sugestian..My lady says “You Got It !” : -)
Yes! The New Filipino in Asia!
Bill,
The Pinoysian and the Pinaysian are the New breed Filipinos from Asia in the 21th century.
Descendant of Intelligent, global virtues people, hardworking, loving people, etc, etc …..
With this new name, PINOYSIAN, it will clear the colonial mentality, the humiliation of the 450 colonial years……
It is very concise descriptive, as we are growing global accountants, technocrats, engineers, doctors, nurses, caregivers, realtors, professionals, etc, and etc.. despersing globally across the span of every world cities……..
The new people from Asia of the new century…………
I’m dreaming eh!
Old man
No doubt that Rizal has no tears left since Marcos and is now bracing himself in his grave when the other Asian nation’s wirlwinds pass by when they overtake his beloved country and his fellow countrymen manage to ruin his beautiful islands.
May some of us in TSOH, can be requested to write a piece or comment on these items (as non-sense?) below
WHAT IS NOT WRONG WITH MARAWI: A reader for Pres Duterte
know your friends and enemies, what they will do when they are in a bind.
what might the Americans, the British, and Canadians or Russia DO in a war case like Marawi.
GIVEN THAT There is ENOUGH APF capability (Division and Battalions -in strength and firepower) in Mindanao to unleash brain power in planning for strategy and tactics of war. FORESIGHTS must preclude HINDSIGHTS.
Strategy: INTERDISCIPLINARY, not multidisciplinary (old hat) wide swat at the cabinet level headed by the Sec of DND. Most important roles: DSWD, DeptED, DOJ, DOT, DOH only.
Tactics: BEFORE (repeat BEFORE) START OF HOSTILITIES: Never be- Avoid being sitting ducks; Under M Law, replace civilian government immediately with military governance; Mass presence of troops before firing the first shot; Very Advance (lead Time) Planning on Sealing Escape Routes (TROOPS MUST BE IN PLACE WAITING);
MORE — ID and actual Bombing of targets before actual attack by ground forces; Evacuation DONE QUIETLY of Civilians particularly Christians and Muslims long before D-Day; leave caring for and protecting civilians to civilian agencies; soldiers to concentrate on the fighting so deadlines are met, OBJECTIVES TAKEN;
APPLY straight thinking that dressing Christians with Muslim attires by Muslims to help them escape could expose them to both soldiers’ and rebels’ fire; nice to SCAMPER to take cover as reported in the news, but must search and neutralize snipers; DURING PLANNING STAGE, controlling airlines limited arrivals; no departures; in Luzon and the Visayas AFP Units tracking and monitoring places and persons (on records) of interests; Never Allow to be attacked first.
FORESIGHTS must preclude HINDSIGHTS.Getting Ready for War when effectively done should be WHAT IS NOT WRONG WITH MARAWI .
Martial Law in outside the box thinking is HOME INVASION by home owners to get rid of those who are not homeowners and those wanting to take over the real homeowners. Such is the need for straight thinking formula.
Why I try to write better and be a better person it’s because I read to the end something like this:
http://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada150/my-mother-was-a-pen-pal-bride-from-the-philippines-to-janet-with-love/ar-BBCU6cy?li=AAadgLE&ocid=spartandhp
*******
Popoy, thanks for the link. Good one!
*****
you are welcome edgar l.
It was a nice read.
Thanks for sharing this. It reminded me of a cousin, a nurse at the US Navy hospital who shelled out 100K for a destitute uncle who had a stroke 2 weeks ago. Similarly situated relatives look up to her and her generosity when crisis after crisis strike. They can’t help it, they are not lazy mendicants, just helplessly trying to survive the curve ball fate has thrown at them.
JoeAm alleged,
“This is the line of work being undertaken today by the Philippine State:
* Jail Senator De Lima on the strength of the President’s vindictive anger, not evidence.
* Inject death as a way to resolve problems and intimidate people. Toss in Martial Law to make sure the whole nation bows before power.
* Accuse innocents of subversion and “eventually we’ll have to shoot them to shut them up”.
*
” The ‘yellows’ are the villains today, as were the rebels in 1897. The current government would for sure by threatened by Dr. Rizal. And it certainly appears to me that these power-brokers are lining up to shoot him once again”
I’m feel so sorry, I question if this blog is morally healthy to the well-being of the Filipino at large?
……….
1. Will some kababayan also make anti-Filipino comments against current duly elected Filipino government administration too. (A Filipino crab mentality)?
2. TSOH editor in the Philippines made partisan political allegation statements.
My rationalization is very simple.
1. The current President is duly elected by the Filipino people to manage the country for six years. 2. The Filipino people deserves to respect this constitutional democratic mandate.
As Filipino, we should love our nation in deeds and words, we should “respect ” the Philippines duly elected government authorities currently in charge, which is the current administration.
While there is democratic individual freedom of speech and individual human rights, I think, there is also the need of a moral freedom of speech and national right (constitutional right) to govern for the well-being of the Filipino people.
What we need to hear more is a good discussion analysis with respect for the well-being of the Filipino people.
Comments are welcome!
*******
OldmaninLa,
Let me ask: Are the allegations true?
*****
I think speaking is a responsibility sometimes and when there are 10,000 deaths, killers freed, good people vindictively maligned, and assorted governmental misdeeds undertaken that do not respect the Constitution, silence is complicity.
Also, Senator De Lima may disagree about the idea that protest is un-Filipino.
Oldmaninla
It takes some courage to comment against the flow in any blog. You have consistently done that here, and you have done so in a respectful manner. Anyone who can bring some fresh and insightful ideas here are welcome, of that I’m sure.
However, your ambivalence is telling. You have been saying a democratically elected leader has to be supported and we just hope that he will do what is best for the country. Is there no red line for you? I think Filipinos are just months away from that cliff. With the next 3 changes in SC appointments, you can write the epitaph for Philippines democracy.
It would be good if you can comment here more on specifics. Like tell us your views on why the tax reforms will be good for the poor. Or why infras on non-bidded basis is good for the country. Why build a thousand kilometers of railways all round the island of Mindanao is good for the country without showing the public the cost-benefits analysis. Why Imperial Manila is no good for the country but a thousand Mindananons in Malacanang is good for the country. There are many other specifics that perhaps you can tell us your views.
Chemrock,
With permission, I also welcome your reply, comments and suggestions………
I’ll have to be prudent with good discretion in my approach, therefore I need time maybe in due time. Before I’ll do it, I think, you should know where I’m coming from…..
Am an old man, Overseas Filipino, Philippines is my birthland, a true Filipino with Spanish and Chinese heritage.
My heart bleeds for the Philippines situation but I’m still very hopeful when the day comes that the Philippines will have a group of able patriotic good leaders who can or will uplift our country situation with good government, my hopeful dream………..
I try to share more in due time …….
Old man
I’m ambivalent of the Philippines situation but I give my respect and still hopeful for the future well-being of the Filipino kababayan. I am very hopeful of the nationalistic awareness and participation of Overseas Filipino and the OFW in the social media, they are the new “Rizal” that can not die.
They will change the well being of the future Philippines……….
I remember our ROTC Commandant in 1958. He always say in every lecture, “Don’t fight the problem SOLVE IT.
it’s difficult to explain the surface and the depths of a problem, how to solve it then without fighting it would be improbable. Okay, if Presidents (like Erap, Arroyo, PNoy and Duterte) are the bones of contention, este discussion and diagnosis, let a think tank of three experts (1) A medical doctor, (2) a Professor of Public Administration and an (3) Economist applying interdisciplinary methods of study figure out and to report to the public at large the (1) physical and mental health, (2) ability and competence to rule and administer, and (3) his/her impact to the nation’s economy. IS DOING THAT A SOLUTION? Or will the truth lead to a solution?
What about Martial Law and Marawi? As I said above, the solution should have been: Let Foresights make hindsights bite the dust and that actually should be solving the problem not contending ideas fighting on how to solve it. Without being told, the public should know there’s a strategy fleshed out into tactics of doable details.
A similar quote came from George Marshall, I was thinking about the proponent of the Marshall plan, which became a very good template for postwar recovery programs.
His version was, “Don’t fight the problem, decide it”.
“Without being told . . .” requires huge trust. When government provides information that is wrong, conflicted, and vindictive, or hides the reasons for the President’s disappearance, that trust is hard to find for many.
When Duterte won, was one with Joe to congratulate him here and in fb.
Now, I criticize him, but I also give credit where it is due.
I maybe silent in FB because I have relatives and friends who really are passionate supporters of president Duterte. The much maligned Aguirre is a friend.
I voice out here in TSOH, is it cowardice? I don’t think so, this is still the internet, it still can be seen by anyone who reads Joeam. Silence is complicity. So I maybe just whispering, but I won’t be to totally silent.
Hear, hear:
The most insightful analysis of the Duterte regime’s mishandling of the Maute crisis (as well as the communist insurgency) :
http://opinion.inquirer.net/104949/strategic-drift
Important takeaways:
1. “The administration does not realize that its NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) model of local governance, where all sides can coexist so long as they all recognized the supreme authority of the mayor, cannot be imposed by sheer force of will either on the Philippines or the world.”
2. “All this has proven so far is that its exiled leadership is only nominally in charge, easily ignored by guerrillas who need to keep extorting funds and justifying their ideology by attacking the military and police.”
Thank you, andrew. I was going to reference that article here upon reading it this morning, and you’ve saved me the trouble. Superb article by MLQ3.
Abu Sayaff and the terrorist threats were pushed back to the remote islands when the Philippines was guided as to their presence by US intelligence. Duterte ended that a year ago and we have what we have, 300+ dead including 60 AFP/police, and US intelligence called back to try to once again try to put the hydra-headed monster into a box.
I’m guessing there will be no senate inquiry into this, as there was on Mamasapano.
Rizal has been shaven bald.
Not even the Spanish did that.
What does this mean Irineo ? Many men here & in the US & Europe shave their heads bald as part of a tough rogue like, don’t mess with me, persona
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Irineo is referring to “Bato” de la Rosa, the bald PNP chief, who claims to be a descendant of Rizal.
*****
I still cannot reconcile the idea of this camera-hogging caricature of Idi Amin claiming blood relations with a Renaissance Man who tried to bring the country to the next century.
Oh, yes. Speaking of the “supercop”, someone found this somewhat obscure Fred Lim-Estrada anti-drug PSA.
I have a comment to make ; I am perplexed that Senator De Lima is on remand awaiting trial, because she & Duterte are political enemies. It seems that the entire police and justice system in the Philippines operates on the whims of the President. This is hardly a democratic or equitable way of running the countries legal affairs.
And I have a question : how long till the trial happens ? If it delayed she should out on parole. She has. a task to do : the people of the Philippines elected her as senator. It is to the people that she is accountable.
Bill,
This link provides a good background on the case of Senator De Lima.
http://www.rappler.com/nation/161794-what-happens-next-de-lima-warrant-bail
– Her case is unbailable. Recent events us of the case of Senator Enrile who elevated his case to the Supreme Court.He was released due to humanitarian reasons.
– For the speed of the trial, it varies.
Senator Bong Revilla was arrested last 2014, but his trial only began a few rays ago.
This is Off Topic but interesting especially to Filipinos as it is an article from the BBC about the BPO industry in the Philippines.
I read it Bill and one interviewee was not afraid of the emergence of Artificial intelligence because she feels people still want the human “touch”.
Another one who works for Verizon is worried about losing her job, because Verizon is moving back jobs to the US. She thinks it is because of Trump’s protectionist policies.
I am glad you found it Karl, despite me forgetting to include the link;
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-40337360
Yes I suspect that the computer nerds are off course with their AI proposals. I always think when dealing with computerised phone responses, that if I wanted to talk to a computer I would ring one. It has never happened yet. People always are better.
I agree Bill.
Thanks Karl, Senator De Lima should file for bail before the CA & if necessary the SC. Bugger “non-bailable’. She is innocent until Aguire and his legal dopes prove she is guilty in court.
And it seems to me that the lack of juries in the legal system, is important again. Jurors have to listen to what is presented in court. But when they retire they assess by themselves the value and validity of the stuff presented. And find guilt or innocence on their own assessment.
Senator De Lima’s attorney is the former Solicitor General, Florin Hilbay. He is a principled, capable attorney and has filed for relief with the Supreme Court. It would certainly be good to know why the Court is so slow in addressing the matter. I’ve not read about it.