An Essay Writing Contest in Tagalog opens to all Grade 5 and 6 Filipino Students

Liham Kay Rizal.  “Kung nabubuhay ngayon si Rizal, ano ang nais mong sabihin o itanong sa kanya?”

 

PreMYo Rizal 1^st Prize Winner Grade School                                                

 Liham Mula sa Apo sa Mindoro

By

Therese Diane S. Villanueva

Occidental Mindoro State College, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro

 

Mahal kong Lolo Pepe,

 

Pagbati at pagdakila sa inyo!

Isa po akong Mindoreño at alam kong malapit kaming mga Mindoreño sa puso mo.  Nabatid ko po mula sa aking pagbasa na bagaman hindi na napasama at nailimbag sa unang nobela mong Noli Me Tangere ang orihinal na Kabanata XIV o ang Kabanatang “Elias At Salome,” nalaman ko po na dito ay nabanggit mo and Mindoro. Salamat po sa pagpapahalaga sa aming lalawigan.

Dahil po ako’y Mindoreño, nais ko pong ibahagi sa inyo ang kalagayan ng orihinal na mga ninuno ng lahing Mindoreño – ang mga katutubong Mangyan.   Dama ko po ang kanilang nararamdaman, ang kanilang hinaing, pangangailangan sa tuwi-tuwinang sila’y bumababa sa kapatagan upang manghingi ng limos.

Malinaw po na “paggising sa natutulog na damdamin ng ating kababayan” ang iyong layunin sa pagsulat ng iyong nobela.  Ganun din ang pakay ko sa pagsulat ng liham na ito. Nais ko pong ipahatid sa pamamagitan ng pagliham sa inyo ang paghihirap na nararanansan ng mga katutubo nating Mangayn dito saMindoro.  Batid ng marami dito saMindorona sila’y pinaalis at itinaboy mula sa kanilang lupang sinilangan at wala silang magawa kundi manirahan sa bundok.  Ang mas malala pa, pati ang bundok na kanilang pinaninirahan at pinagkukunan ng ikinabubuhay ay nais pa ring kamkamin ng mga taga-kapatagan, na itinuturing nilang mga Kristiyano.

Ang pinakamatindi sa mga ito ay ang nakaambang panganib ng pagmimina sa aming lalawigan. Tiyak na masisira ang kalikasan, ang kultura ng mga katutubo, ang tirahan ng tamaraw at daranas ng kalamidad ang minamahal naming lalawigan.

Matagal ng panahong nararanasan ito ng mga katutubo.  Panahon pa ng aking lolo hanggang sa aking ama ay hindi napag-uukulan ng pansin at kalinga ng pamahalaan ang nakararami sa mga Mangyan. Ganoon pa rin ang kalagayan ng nakararami sa kanila hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

Hindi po naman sinasabing lahat ng nasa gobyerno ay walang malasakit. Tulad din ng nabanggit ninyo sa inyong nobela, ang Gobernador-Heneral, sina Lieutenant Guevara at Don Tibucio ay nakilala ko bilang karapat-dapat, dakila at tapat na mga tao.

Mayroon din naming nag-ukol ng panahon at pagkalinga sa katutubong Mangyan. Nariyansi Ferdinand Elizalde, ang mga misyonerong pari at madre na nakipamuhay sa mga katutubo upang higit nilang madama ang uri ng pamumuhay nila at upang maging instrumento ng kanilang pagbabago, pagkamulat at paglago.

Bagaman taga-Mindoro po ako, hindi ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataong makipamuhay sa mga Mangyan.  Kaya naman nang malaman ko po ang pinagdaraanan ng mga Mangyan ay hindi ko po alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko.  Naghalo ang lungko, poot, pagkadismaya at awa sa asking puso.  Sino pa nga ba ang magmamalasakit sa aming mga tunay na ninuno kundi kaming mga taga-Mindoro rin.

Mabuti nga po ay may mga mangilan-ngilang nagmamalasakit pa ngayon; nagbibigay ng scholarship, ng trabaho, kumalinga, nagbibigay ng tulong ng walang kapalit. Ngayon, maituturing ko na po silang bayani, bayaning makabagong panahon – mga nagsalba sa kianbukasan at lipi ng ating mga katutubong Mangyan.

Sana po ay ganito ang lahat, hindi lamang ng mga Mindoreño kundi lahat ng Pilipino sa iba’t ibang sulok ng Pilipinas – mga taong iginagalang ang kanilang mga katutubo, katutubong nag-ingat, nangalaga, nagmahal at nagbuwis ng buhay sa kanilang  “ancestral land.”

Hangad ko po nasanaay matuto ang marami sa aming kababayan na lubos pang pa-ingatan at mahalin angMindorotuland ng ginawa ng mga katutubo.

Marami pa po akong nais ibalita sa inyo ukol sa aming lalawigan na minsan ay pinahalagahan mo sa inong panulat.

Hanggang sa muli ko pong pagliham.

Lubos na nagmamahal,

 

Diane

 

 

PreMYo Rizal 2^ndPrize Winner Grade School

Liham Para Kay Bayaning Jose Rizal

By

Jonalyn T. Juarez

Cantabaco Elementary School, Toledo City, Cebu

 

Mahal na Bayaning Dr. Jose P. Rizal,

 

Magiging matagumpay kaya akong katulad ninyo paglaki ko?  Hindi ko lubos na maisip ang mga nagawa ninyo.  Naging nobelista, inhinyero, peryodista, doktor, siyentista at alagad ng sining.  Kasama pa riyan ang pagiging guro at repormista.  Wow!  Talagang super kayo at wala na akong masasabi pa.  Kahit hindi ko po kayo lubusang kilala ay sumasang-ayon ako sa mga nakakatanda sa akin na saludong-saludo sa inyong kabayanihan at katanyagan.

Sa aking murang edad ngayon, kailangan ko pa pong magbasa at magsaliksik tungkol sa inyong buhay at sa mga mahalagang bagay na naimbag ninyo para sa ating bayan.  Makabuluhang bagay ang ginawa ninyo upang magkaroon ng pangalan ang ating bansa, na siyang nagsilbing inspirasyon para sa aming mga kabataan na siyang pag-asa ng bayan.

Katulad po ninyo, gusto ko rin pong maging isang henyong inhinyero.  Alam ko medyo may kamahalan ang kursong ito.  Ngunit simula sa pagkabata ko ito na po ang nakaukit sa aking isipan.  Hangang-hanga ako sa mga taong marunong magpatayo ng gusali, kalsada at iba pang infrastrakturang gawain.  Hindo ko sukat akalain na sa talino ng mga inhinyero ay nakatulong silang magpaunlad sa kanilang bayan.  Naging madali ang paghahatid ng mga produkto mula sa bukirin at malalayong lugar.  Ang pagkakaroon ng magandang sistema ng patubig sa Dapitan, iyon po ay dahil sa inyo.  Gagayahin ko po ang mga gawain ninyong ito.  Pag-aaralan ko bilang isang inhinyera na mabigyan ng magandang patubig lalo na dito sa aming lugar sa Barangay Cantabaco na kapos sa tubig.  Sa ngayon napagmasdan kong hindi tama at hindi pantay ang distribusyon ng tubig, gayong sa aming barangay nagmumula ang kadluon ng tubig, at hindi pa malinis.  Ito po ay isa lamang sa mga gawaing pagsisikapan kong mapabuti at magawan ng paraan pagdating ng aking panahon.

Posible po kayang mangyari ito?  Malaking katanungan po ito para sa akin ngayon.  Hindi naman masamang mangarap, hindi po ba ?  Libre pa naman.  Ngunit paano nga po kaya?  Paano ko ito makakamtan?

Sa kalagayan ng aming buhay ngayon ay siguradong mahihirapan talaga ang tatay kong nag-iisang naghahanapbuhay para sa aming pamilya.  Ang aking ina ay masakitin at mayroon pa akong mga nakakabatang kapatid.  Ang kita ng tatay ko ay kulang pa nga sa pang-araw-araw naming pangangailangan.  Siguradong hindi matutustusan ang kursong ito.  Pero hindi bale na po, tulad ninyo, dahil sa sipag at tiyaga ninyong puhunan ay nagawa ninyo pa rin.  Kakayanin kong maging katulad ninyong isang henyong inhinyero.

Dodoblehin ko ang pagsisikap sa pag-aaral.  Ipagpapatuloy ko ang nasimulan ko bilang isa sa mga nangunguna sa klase hanggang sa ako ay makakapagtapos ng pag-aaral sa mataas na paaralan.  Siguro simula sa araw na ito ay mag-iipon ako mula sa baon ko.  Maglalaan ako ng kaunting pera para sa aking hinahangad.  Sa ganito ay mayroon na akong pagkakataong maging “service scholar” o “working student.”  Ang makapagtapos ng pag-aaral mula sa sariling pagsisikap ay napakasarap pong namnamin.  Lalo mo itong pagpupursigihan at lalo mo itong pahahalagahan.  Dahil kung anumang dahilan, kung gugustuhin mo, maraming paraan.  Hindi ko rin po kakaligtaan ang pagtawag sa Maykapal na ako ay gabayan sa mga minimithi kong pangarap at ako ay bigyan ng lakas ng loob upang malabanan ang lahat ng mga pagsubok sa buhay.

At kapag ako po ay isa nang ganap na inhinyero, katulad ng ginawa ninyo noong inyong kapanahunan, ayaw kong masilaw sa laki ng sahod sa ibang bansa.  Isasaisip ko po lagi na ang iniidolo kong bayani ay matapat, mapagsakripisyo at may pagmamahal sa bayan.  Dito sa bayan kong sinilangan ako ay maninilbihan at nangangakong hindi lilisan magpakailanman.

 

Gumagalang,

 

Jonalyn T. Juarez

 

 

PreMYo Rizal 3^rd Prize Winner Grade School

Ka Pepe, Ano Po Ba Ang RH Bill?

By

Jaydie Anne R. de Castro

Paaralang Sentral ng Timog Boac, Marinduque

 

Mahal kong Ka Pepe,

Kamusta po kayo?

Maraming kabataang katulad ko ang naiintriga sa iyo. Bakit napakasikat mo? Aba’y lahat yata ng lugar na mapuntahan ko ay nakakakita ako ng rebulto mo.

Alam mo Ka Pepe, sa sobrang sikat mo naisip ko na gawin kitang friend sa facebook. Pero nang i-search ko ang pangalan mo, aba’y laking gulat ko. Ang dami ng accounts mo! Alin ba talaga ang totoong sa iyo?

Dahil dito, nag-Google na lng ako at marami akong nadiskubre tungkol sa iyo. Parehas pala tayo na ang paborito ay champorado. Di ba ang sarap nito? Akala ko dahil sa mga obrang Kastilang sinulat mo ay jologs ka sa Tagalog. Mali pala ako. Matatas ka palang magtagalog at sa iyo galing ito: “Ang hindi magmahal sa sariling wika ay daig pa ang hayop at malansang isda.” At ito pa: “Nakakadiri ang mga Pilipinong nagpupumilit na mangarap na maging ibang lahi o maging katunog ng dayuhan.” Korek ka diyan! Ikaw pala ay asintado rin sa barilan. Aba’y paturo naman. Tatlumpu’t walong bagong uri ng isda ang iyong nadiskubre noong ikaw ay tinapon sa Dapitan. Tunay kang isang magaling na siyentipiko. Nakapag-ikot ka na sa buong mundo ng tatlong beses.  Kainggit ka talaga! Ako, kahit sa panaginip ay wala man lamang napupuntahan pa. Pero ikaw, pasyalan mo lang pala ang Paris, London, Madrid, New York at Hong Kong. Sana pag naglakbay kang muli ay isama mo naman ako. Pakitext mo lang ako at magsasabi ako sa tatay ko. Pero bukod sa usapan Sir, chickboy din daw po kayo? Totoo po ba iyon o intriga lang?  Isa pa sa nadiskubre ko ay hindi pala kayo personal na magkakakilala ni Ka Andres Bonifacio. Akala ko pa naman ay “best friends” kayo.

Isa ka rin po palang doctor at ito ang talagang dahilan kung bakit ako sumulat sa iyo.  Kasi, alam ko na alam mo ang sagot dito.  Palagi ko kasing napapanood sa balita ang salitang RH Bill at ako’y naguguluhan kung bakit napakasikat na paksa nito ngayon. Sa kongreso ay nagbabangayan sila tungkol sa RH Bill na ito. Merong pabor at merong kontra. Ang simbahan ay sobra ang pag-ayaw sa bill na ito. Usaping pangkalusugan daw ito, kaya nga bilang isang doctor naisip ko na ikaw ang tanungin dito.  Ikaw po ba ay pabor na isulong ito? Ano man ang epekto nito sa mga batang katulad ko? Ano ang epekto nito sa mga nagdadalang tao tulad ng nanay ko? Alam ko na galing kayo sa malaking pamilya pero sa panahong ito na dumarami ang mga naghihirap na Pilipino, hindi ko alam kung pabor pa kayo sa isang malaking pamilya tulad ng sa inyo. May bulung-bulungan na mayroon sana kayong anak kay Josephine Bracken, kaso ito ay isang “blue baby” na namatay rin pagkatapos maipanganak. Nabuhay kaya siya kung mayroong RH Bill? O ang RH Bill din kaya ang tuluyang papatay sa kanya upang maproteksiyonan ang buhay ni Josephine? Alin talaga ang mas importante – ang buhay ng ina o buhay ng anak?  Ito rin daw ay usapang moral. Isang kasalanan daw sa Diyos ang pagsasabatas nito. Kayo po, tama ba ang simbahan o tama lang na isulong ang RH Bill para maibsan ang kahirapan sa ating lipunan?  Gaano talaga kahalaga at ano ang epekto ng RH Bill sa buhay ng tao?  Ito ba talaga ay kikitil ng buhay o magpoprotekta ng buhay?

Pasensiya na po, pinag-isip ko kayo. Pero sigure naman hindi ako malaking abala sa inyo. Dahil alam ko basta usaping pambansa game kayo.

Salamat po.

 

Sumasainyo,

Jaydie Ann R. De Castro

Mag-aaral ng Ika-6 na Baitang

 

 

An essay writing contest opens to all 3rd and 4th yearHigh SchoolFilipino Students

Pick a character from Noli or Fili, describe what the character stands for, and explain how you will be like or unlike that character. 

 

PreMYo Rizal 1^stPrizeWinnerHigh School

 Doña Victorina’s Lesson on True Colors

By

Marisse T. Sonido

Assumption Antipolo, Sumulong Highway, Antipolo City

 

Doctora Doña Victorina de los Reyes de De Espadaña.  Even her name itself has pomp and frills written all over it.  Meet Rizal’s effusive and self-proclaimed doña from Noli Me Tangere who instantly caught my attention with her abundance of frills and comical dialogue.  As amusing as I found her, I soon realized that her character had a greater purpose than to provide a satirical image of a vain woman.  Like any character of Rizal’s, I realized that she served to teach us something about our society.  Reading from this perspective, I understood how Rizal used Victorina as a way to see our own flaws and work past them.

From the very start, it’s easy to see that Doña Victorina is all about appearances.  She is constantly described as wearing a European dress, beset with plenty of curls and painted with an abundance of cosmetics.  This show of appearances, though, is more than just proof of her shallow nature but also shows how obsessed Victorina is when it comes to achieving prestige and admiration.  It is perhaps this obsession that fuels her life-long efforts to pretend to be something she’s not:  a Spanish woman.  A Filipino by birth, Doña Victorina is a woman who easily abandons her true identity for one that will get her to a higher place in life.  A domineering person, she’s committed to do anything to gain esteem, even intimidating her husband to improve their social standing by lying about his profession.  Victorina easily turns her back on her own people, caring nothing for the fact that she now becomes one of their abusers.

It’s easy to see how someone like Doña Victorina became the type of person she is.  She did, after all, live in a time where being a native of thePhilippines, or “Indio,” made you automatically inferior to the Spanish colonizers.  She saw that she would get none of the prestige she desired unless she became one of those who were on top.  Truthfully, I believe that her way of seeing things isn’t something that she can completely be blamed for.  During that time, it was something almost everyone believed as they witnessed how the Spanish controlled every aspect of life and how they were more prosperous as a nation.  Even Rizal acknowledged that we Filipinos had much to learn from our colonizers.  Victorina, though, took this belief to a point where she rejected her heritage.  This, Rizal shows us, is what really makes Victorina corrupted:  the fact that she knowingly turned her back on her country for her selfish ambitions.

Clearly, Doña Victorina’s purpose is to show us that it’s easy for anyone to be consumed by ambition.  Victorina, the consummate “social climber,” embodies that people would do anything to get attention, or respect.  Despite the time gap between our society and Rizal’s, these people are still present today.  They are the same people who tear each other apart, trying to come out on top in terms of fame or influence or those politicians who proclaim their good deeds to earn the approval and support of the public.  Doña Victorina as a social climber contributed nothing to her society, just as the social climbers of today do nothing to help our present society as they clamber over each other to reach the highest pedestal.

I admit that at some point in my life, I worked to earn the approval of others too for self-importance.  Rizal teaches us as we read about Victorina’s shallow desires that there is a difference in appearing great and being truly great as a person, and that respect earned through petty, shallow means isn’t worth earning at all.  What really matters is esteem gained by sincerity, honesty and hard work.

Doña Victorina is also a character who never seems to find security in who she really is.  Aside from her denial of her nationality, she constantly covers herself in cosmetics and frills to improve on those appearances she values so greatly.  To her, these “improvements” help mask her Filipino identity and help her assume an appearance more like those of the Spanish:  pale-skinned, with curly hair.  For her, these physical attributes represent her integration into Spanish society.  Aren’t these physical traits, after all, the first way people differentiate between our race and theirs?  Again, people similar to Victorina in this respect are still present in our society.  Dissatisfied with their true identities, these people conform to the traits most desired by the majority, or those they believe are superior to their own.  Today, people use treatments like glutathione to whiten their skin, still believing that pale skin makes one more attractive.  Often, people also undergo treatments for their hair, to make it straighter, curlier or even a lighter color.  Like Victorina, being unsatisfied with appearances could represent a deeper source of discontent:  unhappiness with one’s heritage.

Rizal describes Doña Victorina as an example of how one can forget the value of nationalism.  Of course, every nation has its flaws and it’s only realistic to acknowledge them.  Currently, though, many of us Filipinos are growing more dissatisfied with the situation in our country.  Tragedies like typhoon Ondoy and the Maguindanao Massacre have scarred many, along with rampant corruption, poverty and violence.  This dissatisfaction tears away at the love and pride we have for thePhilippines, prompting us to look for better horizons elsewhere until we have completely turned our backs on our homeland.

Sometimes, it isn’t for the same selfish reasons as Doña Victorina’s.  11% of Filipinos, for example, leave the country as overseas Filipino workers in hopes of finding a secure future for themselves and their families.  It’s not out of hatred for thePhilippines, but because our country’s many flaws make some people feel that they have to leave it behind in order to move forward.  Frequently, though, it also originates from colonial mentality.  It’s something most of us have in common with the Filipinos of Rizal’s time, who were made to believe that they were inferior to those who ruled over them.  Today, we are no longer colonized but we have terms like “first world countries” and “third world countries” that emphasize the big difference between economically progressive nations and developing nations like ours.  These imply and influence us to think that no matter what we do, these powerful countries will always be better in every aspect.  Whether it’s the quality of products they produce, the sturdiness of their infrastructure, or the distinctiveness of their culture, we Filipinos automatically assume that these more prosperous countries are better than thePhilippines.  In attaching a sense of inferiority to the word “Filipino,” we kill our own opportunities for growth by assuming that we can never become greater as a nation.

In his time, Rizal saw this notion of inferiority as the same thing that hindered the potential we had as a nation.  Through Victorina, he wanted to show the Filipinos in his society that the only way they could rise above oppression was to embrace their national identity.  In the same way, Rizal shows us that we will remain enslaved by our country’s present problems and our colonial mentality if we can’t find enough pride and love to make thePhilippinesthe better place we desire.  Through Victorina, Rizal asks us all a crucial question:  if even we can’t stay in our own country and work for its growth, who else will bother to make the difference?

In the form of Doña Victorina’s greed and superficiality, I learned the harm that yearning for undeserved respect can bring to me and everyone around me.  I realized I should concentrate on doing what I can for my community instead of what I can gain.  Most importantly, through Doña Victorina’s colonial mentality, I learned what nationalism really means.  It means to embrace your country’s flaws to be able to work towards progress and growth; to see that there is something better out there, and using that knowledge, to help your country instead of giving up on it.  Rizal showed me that I too can help make thePhilippinesgreater, even if it’s just by studying well and equipping myself with knowledge I can use to help my country in the future.

Looking back at Noli Me Tangere, I can say I’m glad Doña Victorina caught my interest so strongly.  In telling me a story of a Filipina who held no love for her country, Rizal renewed my sense of nationalism and armed me with knowledge and insight Doña Victorina will never gain.  He inspired me with his novel to be proud of the heritage Victorina denied and to make myself a better person by becoming a better Filipina.  A timeless teacher, Rizal’s lessons for us Filipinos are something we will always need.  Just as he did the people of his time, he will always serve to open our minds and to push us to become the change thePhilippines truly needs.

 

PreMYo Rizal 2^ndPrize Winner High School

  Cries of Woe and the Light of a New Day

By

Nicole Louise G. Serrano

Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School, EDSA cor Cubao, Quezon City

 

It was said that you could hear her howling in the night, beneath the hushed whispers of tenebrous forestry, the still enigma of the once raging rivers. Rizal described her as having a voice inhuman, with tones that only an unspeakable lunacy could produce. She chatted loquaciously with tree and other creatures of nature, neglected caring for herself, and incessantly but futilely searching for her two lost sons.  Sisa, stereotyped as a nutcase among most Filipinos, with her famous line “Crispin?,,, Basilio?!…” used widely to depict madness in schools, TV shows, and stand-up comedy acts, forced into becoming a one-dimensional character, was not always like this. She once epitomized beauty in its true essence. Waterfalls of ebony strands cascading from a thick mane of hair. Eyes deep as a trench, profound as a sage. Golden skin, slightly burned, scintillating against the scorching heat. She was illiterate, but a hard worker. Her humility was admirable, however gullible it made her. Yet, she made the mistake of marrying an abusive inebriate with a compulsive need to gamble and who could not care less about her or their sons. Her children, Crispin and Basilio, both forced to work in surly environments, kept her on her feet. They kept her holding on to that tenuous line between sanity and insanity. She remained strong, carved a smile on her face, nodded at every peremptory order her husband gave her, all because she fought to keep her sons with her. Upon losing her sons, however, she lost everything else, including her mind. Worn from the despotic society that had rejected her because of the sin of her marriage into poverty, worn from life that was not life at all, worn as a broken shoe that had gone so many places, seen so many resplendent sights, but had brought home nothing but despondency and sheer despair, she became an object of both scorn and pity in her town. She wanders into the forest, haunted by thoughts that can never, ever be still: mixed-up images, Basilio, Crispin, Crispin, Basilio, flashes of life and death before her eyes, humming of woeful melodies in her ear, the hypocrisy of the church, the lies, the sins, hunger, being thrown against the unfeeling wooden floor, thirst, blood on Basilio’s camisa, Basilio, Crispin… In the end, I came to the realization that Sisa lost her mind, not because she was weak, not because her frailty had gotten the best of her, but because she was exhausted.

The principles I, as a daughter, a student, and a Filipino youth, can learn from Sisa can all be summed up in one overused but meaningful word: hope. Wait. Am I not contradicting myself?  Didn’t I just paint a picture of Sisa marred with gaunt hopelessness shoved down her throat by barbaric life? Her story does not end with this picture. Before she died, after living a difficult, eventful life, she was able to pass away in Basilio’s arms. That scene, a sight that would have left a Caucasian boy in and out of rehab or an Asian girl wasting away having short-lived affairs with countless men, left Basilio with hope barely – but still – prevailing over despair. He went on to be a top student at his university, married a beautiful young wife, and earned himself a good job and a high rank in society, despite being an indio. You see, Rizal did not spin together the vivid threads of Sisa’s character to garner pity from his readers. Rather, he created Sisa to remind us of the plight of our motherland, and Basilio to remind us of what we can – or rather, should – do. Sisa was severely abused because she knew no more than to stay silent as each blow from her husband clashed against her cheek, against her nearly emaciated body, because she was defenseless as she felt she had nowhere else to go, because she thought that remaining obsequious to her abuser was the only way she and her children could survive. What his mother endured taught Basilio that he was to rise above those principles. That he was to excel and not to fear beating even his white classmates, for he had the right to do so. Sisa teaches us that though we face cruelty, starvation and penury, even with our sanity signing its death sentence, there is always a reason for hope. We only need to find it within.

Sisa embodies thePhilippines. Tired. Abandoned. Hopeless. Perceived by the world as terminally mad, shunned and maltreated with much vehemence even by those who claim to love her. But I, I strive to be Basilio. The only difference is that my mother, thePhilippines, is still alive. I have the chance to redeem her before she completely dives into her demise. She is counting on me. She is counting on me to rebuild her walls, reclaim her glory, bring back the beauty she has never lost, but is claimed to have. She is counting on me not to bypass her, even when everyone else has. Her forlorn state is not irreparable. That with hard work, perseverance, sweat, and with the words I weave, the words stained with the pain that comes with sacrificing for and loving my desolatePhilippines, I can redeem her name. She has put hope in me, and I refuse to put that hope to waste. My youth may prevent others from listening to me, for they will challenge my wisdom and view my principles as baseless idealism. But words I will not speak. Words have gotten us nowhere. It is evident in our society. If anything, words have annihilated certain aspects of our being. No, I will study hard and excel in whatever I do. I will compete with my fellow Filipinos, and working hard enough, I dream of competing with students of various races and languages. I will win in the international arena, but all the while keeping myself from swelling with pride, for at the back of my mind are the cries of my motherland, her cries for salvation from the ignoble reputation she has for so long had to put up with, from physical and spiritual impoverishment. My efforts, my achievements, and even my lifelong goals are not for my own renown, but to exude the steadfast strength of the Filipino soul. Trials, prejudice, challenges, come what may; my Filipino soul will not be swayed, shattered or broken. I will stand strong. I will keep true to my word. I am willing to forger my selfish desires to live only for myself, to do only what I please, for my motherland is weeping and I long to see the day when the light of a new day will dawn upon her and wash her tears away.

Do you not hear her suppurating wildly in the night? Do you not hear her footsteps as she trudges along a path filled with utter misery and bleakness in the day? Despite this, there is still hope in her. Hope in the youth. Do we, once and for all, decide to mutilate and slaughter that hope? Or do we take it upon ourselves, not as a burden, but as an act of love towards our motherland? ThePhilippinesawaits our decision.

 

PreMYo Rizal 3^rd Prize Winner High School

 Someone for the Bigger Picture

By

Jose Vergel T. Herrera

Saint Columban College Secondary Dept., Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur

 

In Dr. Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, Elias was a man who was very crucial to how the plot unfolded.

Elias had a very gruesome past, his grandfather was accused of arson and was condemned, and he eventually committed suicide.  His grandmother was also sought by the civil guards for not reporting the said incident.  So she decided to escape.  Elias’ father fell in love with a woman at Tayabas but then, they were not able to marry each other.  But they had two children, and one of them was Elias.

Elias was a strong and loyal man.  His loyalty was for both Crisostomo and the motherland.  He devoted the last moments of his life to save the life of the person whom he believed was the only hope for the Filipinos to liberate themselves from their poor condition.

Elias was principled.  Even when he discovered that an ancestor of Crisostomo Ibarra was responsible for the eradication of his ancestors, he was still able to maintain his composure and prevented himself from taking the life of Crisostomo.

Today’s world has leaders and servants, bosses and employees, lords and squires.  The first can never survive without the latter.  In the same sense, Don Crisostomo Ibarra would never have been able to escape and continue to live but for the vital role Elias played.  Crisostomo, the main character, escaped from prison through the help of Elias. They used a small boat to reach their destination; but before they got there, they were pursued by Civil Guards.  Elias knew that the Guards were aware that Crisostomo was aboard that boat; but he also presumed that they did not know which among them was the real Crisostomo.  So he jumped off the boat and swam.  He was able to divert the attention of the Guards to himself thus allowing the main character to escape.

Elias may not be the one who held the most crucial role in the novel, but his role was very essential to the life of Crisostomo.  Sometimes, the mission that one has to fulfill in life is not to directly make the world a better place, but to empower, inspire, or challenge someone else who has the true potential to carry on a larger task in this world of ours.

In reality, my function as a student can sometimes be compared to that of a driver of a bus.  I am tasked to steer for everybody.  This is quite contrary to Elias’ part in the story, but he showed me the sheer importance of those who do not have the lead roles.  Elias allowed me to appreciate my peers even if they do not directly take part in my undertakings; they are still able to add value to my life in the way they treat me when we bump into each other, or when we chat for a short period of time, etc.  These little things keep me sane; and sanity is very important if you want to prosper.

Elias also made me think twice about trusting people.  Considering all the negative elements like thieves and kidnappers that are lurking in our city streets, I have adopted a cynical attitude towards many things.  Even if he is just a fictional character, I consider that even if they are tremendously difficult to find, there are still people who are worthy of receiving trust.

In times of distress and disputes throughout the globe, people can’t help but use their brains and brawns for wrongdoing; but Elias was a perfect example of somebody who did not wish to just wreak havoc among his countrymen.  He dedicated his capabilities to the betterment of the populace.  He wanted to make a contribution in the improvement of society.  He made me strengthen my desire to use my skills and talents for the further development of the nation.  Indirectly, he made me believe that anything, be it large or small, will have an impact on the nation.  So instead of becoming a part of the heavy burden of the country, I’ve been enlightened to contribute for the greater good of our people.

Another rare trait that he had which is hard to find, both in the Noli Me Tangere context and today, is nationalism.  Only seldom can you find people who are really willing to lose so much for the sake of their birthplace.  Right now, so many people want to know what they can get from the state, whereas it should be the other way around.  Our collective efforts are the factors that continue to make our nation great.  Oh, what pride it would be to live in a land that is inhabited by people who are bound by their love of country!  Elias showed his unwavering devotion to both the Philippines and its people by putting his life in danger for a noble purpose.  He knew that the dignity of a nation lies in its people, so he worked to release the Indios from the chains that bound them to slavery, the chains which benefited only those who were fromSpain.

He inspires me not just to seek fame and glory, but to look for true happiness, which can be found in hard work and contentment.  With this profound motivation, I shall not attach myself to luxuries that only I can enjoy because in doing so, I would no longer partake of the dividends of happiness that are equally divided among those who have less in hand, but more in heart.  Everything that can fit inside your fist will not matter if the contents of your heart are hollow.

During the silent moments in which I wrote this piece, I was able to comprehend and absorb the thought that ‘No man is an island.’  Having said that, we must try our hardest to be able to help out in the lives of others because even if we interact with others, yet they do not value us, or worse, even detest us, then the life that we have isn’t worth living.  I’ve considered that whether we like it or not, other people will always be part of our lives, so let’s make the most out of it.  Why make enemies when you can create friends? But when it comes to your principles, always stick to what you believe in, because that will guide you throughout your life.  Nobody has the right to force you to change the foundations upon which you have built your life.

It does not matter if we die a lonely death, what really matters is that we lived a meaningful life.  If within the years of our existence, we were able to do something to preserve or improve anything that we love, like our country for example, then our lives would not have been wasted.

When we die, a gravestone shall be placed above our graves.  It shall indicate the date of our birth and the date of our death, but are you aware which part of the gravestone is the most important?  It is the dash carefully placed between the dates of birth and death.  It is because that small line represents all the years that you’ve spent alive on earth.  Make your dash meaningful and live a blissful life.