As we celebrate the 150th birthday anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal, the most famous national hero of the Philippines, I had a chance to visit his town last June 19, 2011. We braved the raging typhoon Egay with its wind and rain. But it was worth to be able to visit the house of the hero who, equipped with his intellect, had sparked the 1898 Philippine Revolution—leading to Asia’s first Republic.

Interestingly enough, in spite of the harsh winds and rains, people were queuing up for a tour of Rizal’s ancestral house in Calamba. The atmosphere was not that sacred and solemn as compared to that of a religious shrine, and this goes to show how much a lay person Rizal really is. But there was joy and festivity. Of course, bystanders joked and laughed as people dressed up in Spanish costumes like Guardia Civil uniforms (with pride).

The people’s admiration for Rizal was evident as they waited their turn to have their pictures taken before a big 3D effect wall which displayed the face of Rizal as one clicked the camera. Of course, I grabbed the chance to visit the newly inaugurated 22 feet statue of Rizal in front of Calamba City Hall – its 22 feet symbolizing the 22 languages and dialects that Rizal had mastered. Even if it was drizzling and windy, I approached the tall Rizal statue at the expense of my poor and weak umbrella. It was great to be up there and to see little children braving the rain and playing on the stairs before the statue of Rizal.

Rizal has really found a place in the heart of many Filipinos as the most respected and admired national hero. In fact, every city and municipal hall, each public school boasts a statue of him. But it wasn’t so 120 years ago. This man had to fight for his principles almost alone, and it was a quite a lonely life because he was also misunderstood by his compatriots. Perhaps, after watching Marilou Diaz-Abayas’s film of Rizal starring multi awarded actor Cesar Montano, one can understand the struggles that he had to go through. And we can get a better glimpse of the man if we read his writings, poems and novels.

Intramuros and the struggle for freedom

A visit to Intramuros completed my Rizal pilgrimage. The walls of Intramuros still stand today as a symbol of Spanish glory. There, one can have an inkling of how the Spanish governors and the Church in Rizal’s times became so rich and abusive. A sensitive soul might even be a little scandalized to witness the richness of San Agustin Church.

A visit to the Lights and Sounds Museum featuring the history of the Philippines up to Rizal’s times will help us understand the evolution of the Filipino people from its early settlers to Rizal, who stands as a symbol of the loosening or unfettering of chains from the colonial rule. In the last part of the Lights and Sound tour, visitors are encouraged to overcome the walls that still divide us in society, to widen their horizons and their visions, so as to really achieve that freedom that Rizal had once desired for our nation.

Modern Damasos and Colonizers

But are the struggles that Rizal faced not different from ours? Yes and no! Of course, the struggle for justice and freedom will always be present as new tyrants and colonizers arise from time to time. Now that colonial rule from Spain is far back in history, it will be very irrelevant if we go back to dwell on the sins of the friars. Rizal had already exposed them during his time with his two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

The local Church has already somehow redeemed itself with the death of the three Filipino priests popularly known as Gomburza, and more recently in the EDSA People Power. Yes there are still abuses which one could focus on but we cannot diminish the role of the Church in contemporary history. In the past, she sent dedicated missionaries who went to the mountains to help preserve the language and culture of the natives, she set up basic ecclesial communities in Mindanao and Visayas which saved hundreds or thousands of lives by helping them take the road to peace rather than violence, and she gave us the late Cardinal Sin who paved the way for the Edsa people power revolutions etc.

As for modern colonizers, we often express our anger over the US meddling in local affairs, even though through our Senators, with Mount Pinatubo’s help, we had voted for the removal of the American bases. Now that we need US help because of the Spratly dispute with China, we are requesting the help of US once again. Funny isn’t it? One is tempted to think that we should have retained the US bases after all.

But from another point of view, the removal of the US bases through a senate vote was part of our growing up as a nation. Hopefully, that decision will be respected and not exploited when we are in need. Warmongers are already prophesying that war may result, but we should not exaggerate as the UN, ASEAN and China herself with thousands of years of experience have a history of respect for treaties of International Agreement and this could also happen as in the Spratly’s case.

And so who are the Padre Damasos, or the Governadors of our time – the grinding poverty that afflicts our people now and its causes, those illegal recruiters who take advantage of our people, the abusive local leaders who cannot take criticism from journalists and resort to killing them… The story of Rizal continues, as the struggle for justice and true freedom lives on. And we need to write more novels like Fili, and Noli for our times in order to keep alive the awareness of a nation longing for freedom… of course as Rizal wished, and without bloodshed.

Perhaps Rizal was very much ahead of his times. Ninoy somehow completed his dream of a peaceful fight by offering his life which sparked a silent, amazing and non-violent revolution, but the story doesn’t end with their sacrifice, for we still witness the agony of our countrymen and it will be very hard to respond to their cry if we are disunited.

Our countrymen really need to be guided by true love that seeks the real good of their fellow men and women. And our creativity should never be lacking nor exhausted when placed at the service of others.

Jose Aranas