Relevance of Rizal as a Subject

Why do we have to study about Jose Rizal, his life and his works?

This is a question frequently asked by students. 

Yes, Jose Rizal was just a man, but that one man takes a big role in our history. 

He contributed so much to what we are now as a nation.

 Rizal faced multiple challenges and made many sacrifices for the sake and future of the Filipino people.

The Philippines is a free country now, thanks to him, but aside from fighting for our freedom and rights, Rizal also influenced us and served as a foundation of who and what we are now.

Rizal taught us about the importance of family, language and the love for one's country. Rizal was the person who believed that the children of today will be the hope of our nation. 

To some he might only be a regular man, but to those who have fully understood and explored the life, works and ventures of Rizal, he is the man who built our nation.

I see his sacrifices as selfless deeds. 

Yes, Jose Rizal is truly selfless. 

He never pondered on how his doings would affect him as an individual. He took risks and went through pain for the sake of his countrymen. He had no thoughts of giving up for only one thing was set on his mind - to free the Filipino people off the Spanish dictatorship. 

Rizal did not personally know every Filipino but he loved every single one of them because for him, they are all his brothers and sisters.

So for me, who has fully comprehended and discovered the wonders Jose Rizal did for us, it is highly relevant for us to study about him and discover his ventures for the Filipinos.

Rizal's Greatest Battle

Although we go through various problems and hardships in our lifetime, life itself is a battle we all have to encounter and survive.

We meet a lot of difficulties and come by enemies of different kinds, but instead of giving up and losing hope, we should all find our strength and try our best to overcome the war that is life.

They say that if you love something or someone, you should go and fight for it; 

and this is exactly what Jose Rizal did. 

The love he had for the Philippines and its people was overflowing

and for him, he had no other purpose but to serve his country and its men. 

He risked own life for the sake of the Filipino people and put himself to harm in order to give his countrymen freedom and justice. 

He faced death with no fear and regrets because he was aware that he had already done enough for his fellow Filipinos. 

He let go because he knew that the Filipinos were ready to fight for their rights. 

It was time for them to make a move and fight for their own battle.

For Jose Rizal, his last breath was not a waste. 

His death was something he could be proud of because this was the time that he knew he had served his people enough. 

He died a fulfilling death for he endured all the hardships brought to him by life and 

he was successfully able to fight for

 his greatest love, the Philippines.

Nakaninong kamay nga ba ang kapalaran?

Nangingealam nga ba ang Diyos sa buhay nating mga tao o tayo ba talaga ang may hawak ng mga kapalaran natin? 

Madami, ang Diyos ang sinisisi sa mga panahon ng paghihirap.

 Pero hindi ba nila naiisip na hindi naman tayo bibigyan ng problema na 'di natin malalagpasan at ang mga unos na binabato satin ay mga pagsubok lamang upang mapatibay tayo bilang mga nilalang dito sa mundo. 

Hindi naiisip ng iba na ang mga ito ay binibigay lang satin para mapabuti tayo. 

Kailanma'y di tayo pababayaan ng Diyos. 

Sinong Ama ba ang nagnais na mahirapan ang kanyang mga anak? 

Wala. 

Lahat ng ama ay nagnanais na lumaking matapang ang anak niya. Ika nga nila, nasa Diyos ang awa ngunit nasa tao parin ang gawa. Naniniwala ako na kahit ano man ang mangyari, ito'y nakasalalay lahat sa atin. 

Tao lang din ang siyang gumamagawa ng sarili niyang kapalaran. Nasa kanya nalang kung tatahakin niya ba ang maayos na daan. Nasa kanya ang desisyon upang maisaayos ang buhay niya.

Abakada

“It made me realize that your mother tongue comes to you without any effort on your part. It is a dowry that comes into your possession without you noticing. It is then judged by another language that has been added later and that comes from somewhere else. Your mother tongue feels as direct and unconditional as your own skin, and it is just as vulnerable if held in low esteem, treated with contempt, or even banned by others.” -Herta Müller 

Recently there have been headlines stating that Filipino subjects will be removed

from the college curriculum and I personally think that this is a tremendously nonsensical idea. 

Why?

Because even though we speak the language and have been speaking it ever since we first learned how to talk, some still make grammatical mistakes and spelling errors. Sad, isn't it? It's our native tongue but it seems so foreign to other people. 

The first thought that came to my mind upon hearing about this was, "Why remove it now when the youth needs it the most?" The new generation of Pinoys are in crucial need of additional education when it comes to our mother tongue because of the technology we have today. 

Words and sentences are abbreviated in text messages and social media posts thus affecting how the youth today makes use of the language in the real world and in school. 

In our respective learning institutions, we use English as the medium for conversations and this goes on until we enter the corporate world. This leaves us with the towering tendency of completely forgetting about our own language.

"He who does not love his own language is worse than an animal and smelly fish." 

-Dr. Jose P. Rizal

This is something that I totally agree with. 

Another thing that concerns me is the number of college professors instructing Filipino subjects that will lose their means of living once this idiotic law is passed and put into action.

Pretencioso

Pretencioso;

That's what I often noticed about some characters upon reading the novel

Noli Me Tangere. 

It astonished me how these kinds of people already existed in the past. 

People pretending to be what they're not, seemingly hiding behind a shield as if too afraid to show what they really are. 

Number one on the list would, of course, be no other than Donya Victorina; the woman who hides her true self under numerous layers of maquillage and innumerable lies. She pretends to be Spanish when she is clearly a Filipina. 

Similar to how a lot of girls are these days. They pretend to be someone they're not just in order to fit in the crowd. As a girl myself I cannot comprehend why they do such things because I think that in order to blend in and find your own clique or circle, you must really be yourself. 

Although it may not be any of my business since it's their lives anyway, these girls still need to realize that putting on a false front won't get them anywhere. I, too, have tried to alter and amend myself just to be able to assimilate with others, but I never felt happy nor contented about it. I felt as if I was caged up; my true self was bottled up inside of me. That's why I made the decision of showing what I really am and put to mind that if they can't accept who and what I am, then they don't deserve my presence either. 

I'm pretty sure that these girls will soon be conscious of this fact. After all, pretending and acting as someone else or someone new is a phase we all go through at some point in life. 

Let's just hope that this will remain just a phase for everyone.

“Perhaps it's impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be.” 

Hope

"Ang Kabataan ang Kinabukasan ng Bayan"

Dr. Jose Rizal once stated that the future of our nation is in the hands of the children, but will the future ahead of us remain bright with how the youth behaves today? 

We hear news about children and their wrong doings almost everyday. We witness kids doing drugs and committing crimes at a very young age. Teens who lack knowledge about sexual education engaging in unprotected pre-marital sex daily.

With the continuous augmenting rate of teenage pregnancy and school dropouts, will we ever face a bright future? 

It's simultaneously funny and infuriating to think that most kids and teens today don't think of their futures when they will clearly be the ones to suffer from the aftermath.

Should we lose hope?
No.

Yes, we do see some lives slowly deteriorating but our nation shouldn't fall apart so easily. We may witness a few people's beings slowly crumbling and withering, however, I strongly believe that there is still hope remaining for our nation because although what lies ahead may seem a bit gloomy now, we still envision ourselves living a pleasant and happy life in the coming days.

In my perspective, our future is not only contingent on our youth; it can be based off from our countrymen's positive mindsets.

"Habang may buhay, may pag-asa" is one of the many sayings Filipinos live by and as long as we maintain our positive outlook in life, I believe that we can make it.

We can and we will be a better nation.

Modern Day Filipina Women: Does the 'Maria Clara' Concept Still Exist?

Maria Clara, the mestiza heroine in Dr. Jose Rizal’s novel Noli Me Tangere, has become the embodiment in Filipino culture for the traditional ideal woman.  

Known to be the most beautiful and widely celebrated lady in her hometown San Diego, Maria Clara became an icon for a great deal of young girls. She was always admired and commended for being pure, religious, and reserved.

Although numerous Pinays still resemble her grace, beauty and charm, does a real Maria Clara still exist in modern day Pinays? I say yes, they still do, and are probably better than before. 

Similar to new brands and products coming out in the market, Pinays nowadays are new and improved.

Based on the context of our culture and standards, the Philippines is comprised of strong women although we are defined to be in the sphere of a male-dominated post-colonial Christian society.

Some women may have chosen to take another path, but most Pinays remain loyal to their traditions, beliefs and values that had been passed on from one generation to the next.

Although in contrast to Maria Clara’s demure and reserved demeanor, Pinays living in the present ought to be stronger and more daring.

There will be changes in our society and we cannot do anything but to embrace it and set aside its flaws. Like what they always say, 

nothing in the world is constant except for change.