CALUGAY, Joselle Joy A.

Understanding the Self

1CPH
POLITICAL SELF
1. In my opinion, ‘Heneral Luna’ is such a timeless film; it even shows several political issues that are
present up to this day. An example of this, is using power and authority to acquire personal wants
and intentions. The people who are in the government use their power as a high official to gain
money or even more power. One good example of this would be the scene where Buencamino tries
to side with the Americans, the colonizers, so that he could be rich with their agreement with them.
In today’s time, our government has been wanting to build dams which will be funded by the Chinese
government. No one benefits from this agreement except from the government that can gain royalties
from stealing money.

2. “Walang naka-aangat sa batas…kahit pa ang presidente.” The law is absolute and everyone is
under it, even the president or even the country’s richest man. Having a position in the government
does not excuse you from the law. Since the law is made for the people, everyone should obey to it,
whatever your position in the government, or your fame, or your wealth, or the number of connections
you have with the authorities. The law is made to maintain order. If someone sues their power to be
above the law, chaos will surely arise and oppression to the powerless will happen as well.

3. An ideal political self is being loyal and faithful to his country’s good and welfare. Not only this mind-
set should be patriotic, but it should also be unbiased, free from narrow mindedness, unwillingness
to learn and adapt. Most people today, they only side with the authorities that are the most powerful
or the ones that have the same principles as what they have or specifically grew up with. Filipinos
today, especially the so-called “baby boomers” and the “Generation X”, since they were raised in
such conservative and strict culture, they resist and hate changes. They hate things they do not
understand. They hate things that seem to be open to the variety of gender, political beliefs, way of
clothing, the way the women ask for equal rights and equal treatment.

4. For me, Apolinario Mabini represents the ideal political self. He, among all the characters in the
movie, is the only one who looks at all situations and all problems in a wider perspective. Not only
from a Filipino’s view but also the possible tactics and plans of the colonizers. He doesn’t let himself
get carried away with his emotions and he does not make decisions while he’s at the peak of the
situation. He remains calm at all times, and uses his wisdom and knowledge at the right way and at
the right time. Apolinario continues to be faithful to his principles and to the countries’ welfare even
if the Philippines is constantly losing to its colonizers and the Americans are indeed more powerful
and rich. The country’s freedom is his only priority and that’s why I think he represents and ideal
political self.