Q Beryl Roson Bencito 11/16/2020

LWW of Rizal TTh 5:30-7:00 PM Ytang, Dhong

Jose Rizal Movies Reflection

We can see in the movie that the Spaniards, most especially the friars, are full-on
hypocrites. They keep on claiming that no one should sin despite of their actions being different
with the lessons that they are preaching. They hurt people no matter what age and gender that
they have and constantly harassed women by using the power and authority they have. The
government of our country during the Spanish era was very unjust or unfair. The Spaniards will
do everything that they can to bring a person down when they go against them, even punishing
the family members of that certain person. They even used the Filipinos as their slaves despite
of the country being ours.

We can see the differences of their lifestyles in the movie. For example, the Filipino
priests are not treated equally because they are not from Spain which is the reason why they
are also abused and discriminated, much like what happened to GOMBURZA. The Filipinos were
treated unequally and was given less importance when we take the education into
consideration because the Spaniards did not want the Filipinos to overpower them because we
can see the potential of Filipinos when they get to learn the knowledge that they need and
deserve. Citizens like Rizal and his family were denied when it comes to access to education just
because they are poor. It was evident that Filipinos were treated as slaves and the Spaniards
claimed the land that we have while asking them for taxes, even. They were sent to prison for
the crimes that they did not even commit and the lack of evidence for the crimes that were
charged for them were obvious, like Rizal’s mother who was detained for being accused of
poisoning her in-laws. The Spaniards sent her to prison for two years despite of the lack of
evidence of the crime. It was evident that the Spaniards were tyrants and inhumane with how
they treated our ancestors.

It was obvious that the government of our country that time was totally controlled by the
colonials and it only includes the executive and judicial part. There was no legislative aspect
because the laws that they had that time actually comes from the Spain which is the reason
why Rizal had a reform stating that the Filipinos should have a representative when it comes to
making laws for the country. The Governor-General was the one appointed by their King to
have the authority over the Philippines. He has the highest position as an officer and was
actually in charge with implementing laws. He was the one who has the right to appoint
positions for the officers or priests. It was evident that Rizal was determined to change the way
of the Spaniards with the reforms that he made because he wanted the Filipinos to have the
freedom and power over their own country.
 From what we watched, I noticed how courageous Rizal really is. It was fearless of him
to take dangerous risks just to remind and show people that what the country needs at that
time was proper political reforms and freedom from the colonization that the Spaniards set
upon the Filipinos during that era. He knows that his works and writings may put him under
danger, but he faces every struggle with courage, knowing that what he is doing is right.
Another sign of how fearless Rizal is was when he was in his prison cell. It was amazing how
he stayed calm despite of knowing the punishment that he will be getting because of his
writings. He knows to himself that he does not deserve the punishment but he took it calmly,
knowing that he was able to do what he has to do by riling up the Spaniards and reminding
the Filipinos about what the should do about the country.

He always has been a hero to us Filipinos. Even though he was about to die, he showed
his love for his country and family that he did not regret any of his doings and writings that
he wrote for the Philippines freedom. Through the novels that he wrote, I’m sure that he
knew that not only will it open up the Filipinos’ eyes it will also remind the later generations
about the bad experiences that our ancestors went through. I personally think that his
novels will always be meaningful even to younger generations and we all know that it was so
well-written.

I personally think that the morals that we can learn from these movies are still
applicable to our society as of now. But this time, the Filipinos are going against their own
kind because of how the government is handling the situations that the country is under in,
like the COVID situation and Typhoon Rolly and Ulysses. As what I can see, the people who
are against the government wants freedom from the control and government of the current
president because they are unhappy with how the president is handling the situations that
are happening in our country. They think that a better president who is more thoughtful
should replace the current president.

I hope that more people will be able to get the opportunity to watch these movies
since it will give them a lot of information and reminders about the nationalistic doings that
Rizal did for the country. I also hope that the current situations that our country are
experiencing will be solved soon and the Filipinos will realize that having conflict against
each other will just create more conflicts. This argument between fellow Filipinos should be
resolved soon. People should remember that our heroes did not fight for the country’s
freedom for the country to go downhill like this because of the struggles that we are
currently facing.