Porgy — RIZAL AND HIS IDEAS ON NATIONALISM By Senator Lorenzo Sumulong* Long before Rizal rose to fame, gave up his life for his country, and became the national hero of our people, my pater- nal grandfather, Policarpio Sumulong, knew him and saw in him the makings of’ truly great man — outstanding in intellect, strong and fearless in character, pure and stainless in his national- ism. They were contemporaries. My grandfather, then a stu- dent in Manila, was an eyewitness to the execution of Fathers Burgos, Gomez, and Zamora — a grave injustice which rankled in his mind as it did in that of Rizal who was later to dedicate his “El Filibusterismo” to the three Martyrs. It was but natural for my grandfather to admire and to seek the friendship of Rizal as the latter was gaining fame as a student at the Ateneo, and in one of Rizal’s visits to our hometown of Antipolo, Rizal, my grandfather made him stand sponsor in the baptism of his son ‘Miguel — the elder brother cf my father Juan Sumulong — as a token of my grandfather’s admiration and esteem for Rizal. My grandfather during his lifetime never tired of talking of his association with Rizal, and from these accounts as well as from his own independent studies of the life and writings of Ri- zal, my father — the late Senator Juan Sumulong — always maintained that of all the great men in the history of Asia there is no one comparable in greatness to Rizal except possibly Gandhi of India. I therefore welcome and zppreciate this opportunity to write a few paragraphs on Rizal and his ideas on nationalism. ragressman, 1946; Senator since IP; Chairman, Senate Committees on Forciga Relations iMG Setvices Fiest Chairman Senate “ilue, Ribbon ‘Committee: considered one of the fous outstanding scastors; member of tne Philippine Economic Mission to the U.S.. Recipient of Awsed for Merit” from the League of Women. Voters 32 EL Ee A Ee SORE ey ne ree \ I writir natior memk d eleme tellige Artisc “Ala follow Ir Me for can ca ippine: of Spai Filibus fight f author! his nov bed eve vir sign Th truth o ence.e for his my pater- aw in him intellect, ; national- nen a stu- if Fathers h rankled dicate his atural for f Rizal as 0, and in Rizal, my sf his son ng — as - Rizal. f talking s well as gs of Ri- ~ always sia there y Gandhi to write ign_Relations Sone of the 5.2 Recipient ‘Sumulong—RIZAL AND HIS IDEAS ON NATIONALISM 33 Rizal is the Father of our Country, and his life, works, and writings best exemplify the essence and meaning of Philippine nationalism. We are true nationalists to the extent that we re- member and follow the teachings of Rizal. At the early age of sixteen, his writings already contained elements of nationalism, besides exhibiting a high degree of in- telligence, In 1877 he won the first prize at the Liceo Literario- Artisco (Lyceum of Art and Literature) for his poem entitled “A la Juventad Filipina” (‘To the Filipino Youth). I quote the following lines: “Hold high your faultless brow, Filipino youth, on this day grand! Shine forth resplendent now, In gallant glory stand, Handsome hope of my motherland. Radiant, Genius, arise Make thy noblest dreams his own, Catch his mind in keen surprise, ‘Swifter than by tempest blown Seep him up to glozy's thorn.” In one of his earliest poems, “Me Piden Versos,” (You Ask Me for Verses), Rizal was already referring to “the land that I can call my own.” It was Rizal who first considered the Phil- ippines as the motherland of the Filipinos and not as a province of Spain. His two immortal novels, “Noli Me Tangere.” and “El Filibusterismo,” awakened and inspired the Filipino people to fight for freedom against the abuses and evils of the Spanish authorities. Speaking through Simoun, one of the characters in his novel El Filibusterismo, Rizal said: “Patriotism can only be a crime in a tyrannical people, because then it is rapine under a beautiful name; but, how- ever perfect humanity may be, patriotism shall always be a virtue among oppressed peoples, because it will at all times signify love of justice, of liberty, of dignity itself...” This is the general principle that expounds the fundamental truth of the desire of any nation on earth to perpetuate its cxist~ ence. In his Dedication of the Noli, Rizal says of his native-34 HISTORICAL BULLETIN Vol. IV, No. 2 land: - “Thy dear image presented itself showing a social cancer. Desiring thy welfare which is our own, and seeking the best treatment, I will do with thee what the ancients did with their sick, exposing them on the steps of the temple so that. everyone who came to invoke the Divinity might offer them a remedy And to this end I will raise a part of the veil that covers the evil. ‘The patriotic messages in Rival’s novels aroused public opinion on the abuses then perpetrated by friars and Spanish authorities in the Philippines. ‘Throughout his life, Rizal was imbued with ardent love of his country and people. ‘Note how he expressed his patriotie sentiments regarding the oppression of his people in the song of Maria Clara, the heroine of the Noli: “Sweet are the hours in one’s native land Where all is dear the sunbeams bless ; Life-giving breezes sweep the strand, And death is softened by love's caress “Warm kisses play on mother’s lips, On her fond, tender breast awaking When round her neck the soft arm slips, And bright eyes smile, all love partaking “Sweet is death for one’s native land, Where all is dear the sunbeams bless Dead is the breeze that sweeps the strand, Without a mother, home, or love's caress."* Rizal realized “that a country cannot have freedom without having first material prosperity; that to have freedom without having something to eat, is like listening to speeches when one is fasting.” This is equally true today, for no nation can long endure on its political independence without a stable economy. Rizal envisioned a strong economy for the Philippines once berated from foreign domination. He said: “Very likely, the Philippines will defend with inexpres- sible valor the liberty secured at the price of so much blood and sacrifice. With the new men that will spring from its soil and with the recollection of its past, it will perhaps strive to enter freely upon the ‘wide road of progress; and all the © Noll Me Tangere, p. 187, Osi translation Fil dott with cest thro it fr gold and mer ture, bird air, | ually chee Wh to 14 yea gardenin lived wit his poem we have tion of o1 Beca Rizal stu British M notations the Philip + The Phil Ourselves1. IV, No. 2 al cancer. the best vith their everyone medy . . the evil.” ¢ opinion uthorities ued with expressed \is people ) without without shen one can long »conomy. once lie pres- slood n its trive 1 the Sumulong—RIZAL AND HIS IDEAS ON NATIONALISM 35 Filipinos will labor together to strengthen their fatherland, both internally and externally, with the same enthusiasm with which a youth falls again to tilling the land of his an- cestors, which has been so long wasted and abandoned through the neglect of those oppressors who have withheld it from him. Then the mines will be made to give up their gold for relieving distress, iron for weapons, copper, lead, and coal. Perhaps the country will revive the maritime and mercantile life for which the islanders are fitted by their na- ture, ability, and instincts: and, once more free, like the bird that leaves its cage, like the flower that unfolds to the air, the land will recover the pristine virtues that are grad- ually dying out and will afresh become addicted to peace, cheerful, joyous, hospitable, and daring.”* While he was in exile a. Dapitan, Rizal taught boys of 12 to 14 years of age. He taught them Spanish, English, arithmetic, gardening, carpentry, hewing stone, gymnastics and fencing. He lived with those children at ‘alisay which inspired him to write his poem, “Himno a Talisay” (Hymn to Talisay). In this poem we have a particular stanza reiterating his faith in the educa- tion of our peopl: “We study sciences exact; The history of our motherland; ‘Three languages of fcur command; Bring faith and reason in accord. Our hands can manage at one time The sail and working spade and pen, ‘The mason’s maul — for virile men Companions, — and the gun and sword.” Because of his patyiotic devotion and ardent love of country, Rizal studied and travelled extensively. While he was at the British Museum in London, he copied and made painstaking an- notations to Morga’s “Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas” (Events in the Philippine Islands). He rectified errors, made clarifications, 1 Philipines a Century Hence, (Filipinas Dentro de Cien Atos) cited in “Thinking. for Silane and Ouiring, 1928) eds, p30 Ourselves,36 HISTORICAL BULLETIN Vol. IV, No. 2 up-dating supplements to Morga’s works about the life and facts on the Filipinos and the Philippines. He made mention of the fact that the early Filipinos engaged in shipbuilding, agricul- ture and other industries and were indeed advanced in their cul- ture before the coming of the Spaniards, Rizal was relentless in correcting errors that might be twist- ed into something unfavorable to his people and country. In his essay on “Sobre la Indolencia de los Filipinos,” (‘The Indol- ence of the Filipinos) he made an analytical explanation and de- fense of the much villified Filipino as an indolent Indio. He cited the need for enlightened and liberal education of his people. Thus, he said in that aforementioned essay: “Without education and liberty, that soil and that sun. of mankind, no reform is possible, no measure can give the result desired. This law does not mean that we should ask first for the native the instructions of a sage and all imagin- able liberties in order then to put a hoe on his hand or place him in a workshop; such a pretension is an absurdity and vain folly; what we wish is that obstacles be not put in his way, that the many drawbacks which his climate and the situation of the Islands suffer from be not increased, that instruction begrudged him for fear that when he becomes intelligent he may separate from the colonizing nation or ask for the rights of which he makes himself worthy. Since some day or other he will become enlightened, whether the Government wishes his enlightenment or not, let his en- lightenment be as a gift received and not as a captured booty. We desire that the policy be at once frank and consistent, that is, highly civilizing; without sordid reservations, with- out distrust, without fear or jealousy, by wishing the good for the sake of good, civilization for the sake of civilization, without ulterior thoughts of gratitude — or else boldly ex- ploiting, tyrannical, and selfish, without hypocrisy or de- ception, with a whole system well planned and studied out for dominating by compelling obedience, for commanding to get rich for getting rich to be happy.” In the “Indolence of the Filipinos,” Rizal described clearly the unfortunate situation of his people who were much abused and o in He of cou Ir his mo becaus man m Rizal, \ new bi Rizal’s ignited intense downfa Sh terpiece must m country za: “Adi Perl Ad Yi Tam Enc Otre El si Cad: Lor1. IV, No, 2 life and nention of g, agricul- their cul- t be twvist- intry. In the Indol- mn and de- ndio, He 1is people. at sun ve the Id asic nagin- place y and in his d the , that omes on oF Since r the s en- yooty stent, with- good ation, y ex- r de- 1 out ding 1 clearly | abused Sumulong—RIZAL AND HIS IDEAS ON NATIONALISM 37 and oppressed under the Spanish regime. When he was alone in Heidelberg, Germany, he was inspired by his burning love of country and by the sight of the beautiful flowers, to write — “Id a mi patria, id, extrangeras flores, sembrados del viajero en el camino, y bajo su azul cielo, que guarda mis amores, contad del peregrino Ja fe que alienta por su patrio suelo! In his Noli Me Tangere, Rizal used Crisostomo Ibarra as his mouthpiece who said: “1 Jove my country, the Philippines, because to it I owe my life, my happiness, and because every man must love his country.”* In his Vida y Escritos del Dr. Jose Rizal, Wenceslao Retana considered Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere as “a new bible wherein the people should seek their redemption.” Rizal's two famous novels may be considered as the spark that ignited the powder keg of the Philippine Revolution. It aroused intense patriotism among the Filipinos which made possible the downfall of Spanish domination in the Islands. Shortly before his execution, Rizal penned his famous mas- terpiece, “Mi Ultimo Adios,” a poem which every true Filipino must memorize and learn by heart. Note how he regarded his country as “The Pearl of the Orient Seas,” in the following stan- zat “Adios, Patria adorada, region del sol querida, Perla del mar de Oriente, nuestro perdido Eden! A darte voy alegre la triste mustia vida, ¥ fuera mas brillante mas fresca, mas florida ‘Tambien por ti la diera, la diera por tu bien. En campos de batalla, luchendo con delirio. Otros te dan sus vidas sin duda, sin pesar El sitio nada importa, cipres, laurel o lirio, Cadalso 0 campo abierto, combate o cruel martirio, Lo mismo es si lo piden Ja patria y el hogar.” + Nol Me Tany e, Osias translation, p. 219 k i f38 HISTORICAL BULLETIN Vol. IV, No. 2 Rizal willingly gave his life for our country that we may live with the full flowering and fruits of his fervent hopes and wishes. The life, works, and writings of Rizal are saturated with ideas on nationalism and are therefore safe guides to help us make our country better. Realizing the important tenets and teachings of Rizal, our Congress enacted Rep. Act No. 1425 which enjoins that “courses on life, works and writings of Jose Rizal, particularly his novels Noli Me ‘Tangere and El Filibus- terismo, shall be included in the curricula of all schools, colleges and universities, public or private.” The Act requires all edu- cational institutions “to keep in their libraries an adequate num- peop! ber of copies of the original and unexpurgated editions of the Mow Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, as well as Rizal’s other chaw works and biography.” We derive great inspiration and les- sons from Rizal's voluminous and immortal works and writings tiona which abound on Filipino nationalism. We should zealously car- rich ¢ ry out and keep alive the ideals and principles for which he labored, suffered, and died. Riizal’s ideas on nationalism should : very well serve to orient us in our zeal and effort to keep our If pat country free and progre then Today, our domestic pattern of life is geared towards eco- he | u nomic nationalism, To make our independence real and last- i ing, we need to be emancipated not only politically but econo- ae mically as well. Such is Rizal’s idea on nationalism which oo not a passing phenomenon but is definitely here to stay with as the us. The remaining fetters to our economy is a challenge not it only to Rizal but also to our people! Let us face that chal- jamb: lenge. As Rizal said: “What good is the Philippines if there ; are no Filipinos!” ment aac tongu oe then | “I have always loved my poor motherland, and I am sure I shail always love her to the last moment even though perhaps men are unjust to me; and my future, my life, my joys, all I have, I sacrificed for the love of my country."—J, Rizal © autho