Stories of Creation

1. How would you compare the origin stories? Which elements do they share, and what differences
do they have in explaining how the world come to be?
Every culture has their own beliefs of how the world is created or simply their own origin
story. Just like the two stories in the book, one from Mindanao entitled “Bilaan Story of Creation”
and the another is from Luzon entitled “Tagalog Story of Creation”. Both have showcased how
everything is created, based on their different beliefs and custom. The two stories also share some
elements like having a god or a supreme and first egg of humans’ life. The story from Mindanao
focuses on how the world is created that begin with a supernatural being that poses extraordinary
power named Malu. With Malu’s dead skin he had made the world and the humans, it also included
here the facial feature like how the noses are placed upside down and how it was fix. While the
story from Luzon said that sea and sky already exist and from a bamboo a man and woman was
born. Moreover, the population of their children increase so much that they spread all over the world
and by that different human races are made.

2. Which creation story is espoused by your religion? How would you compare that particular origin
story to these two folk narratives?
As a Catholic, none of those stories espoused with my religion. For the reason that we
believe on what the Bible have said and that are only one God created everything around us.
However, the two folk narratives also have similarity with what I believe like having a superior that
because of “Him” everything has begun.

3. Which aspects of the two cultures could have influence the stories? Based on the details of the two
creation stories, what we can conclude about the two cultures that came up with them?
Each region has their own unique cultures and it greatly influenced what the people believe.
From the two origin stories I can say that they are unique from one another as they were created
in different places therefor it reveals two different beliefs. Created and delivered origin stories does
not only showcases the wide imagination of the people but also the different beliefs that were
engraved in such places. Truly, folk narratives are treasures that should be keep.

4. Is there such a thing as a “correct” version of how the world was created? What we can learn about
the diversity from the creation stories that we have read?
It is fascinating that we human make up our own history or origin based off of our beliefs
and customs, yet over all of those origin stories we cannot tell which is the correct version because
no one has ever witnessed what happened before. Our origin is the biggest mystery that even
centuries have passed cannot be answered. But still we can learn many things from the diversity
of creation stories like the specific tradition and belief of a region. From it we could explore their
characters and belief just by reading their stories. It is a fact, that we have different ways of believing
how we are made so it is important the we must understand one another.
 The Indolence of the Filipino
by Jose Riza

1. Whose idea was Dr. Rizal responding to? What exactly was the notion held about Filipinos during
Rizal’s time?
Dr. Jose Rizal was responding to a book about the economy of the Filipinos in the
Spaniards regime which is entitled Progreso de Filipinas by Doctor Sancianco. In that period the
idea held to the Filipinos are indolence people because they did not, as was said, work hard under
the reign of Spaniards.

2. How did Rizal defend the identity of his countrymen? What arguments, conditions and examples
did he cite to make his case?
Rizal greatly opposed with the bad image that the Spaniards accused with his fellow
Filipinos. He defended his countrymen by stating the facts that Filipinos are not indolent. He said
that before the Spanish regime Filipinos are industrious and hardworking, and they are engaging
in economic activities like agriculture and trade, but as the arrival of the Spaniards and their strict
and abuse to the Filipinos things become difficult. The Spaniards implementation of forced labor to
the Filipinos destroy their love to work. As they took the power on our own country things went
down. They made Filipino suffer so much that it made them to be idle. He also said that Spaniards
brought a crooked system of education, where Filipino are only taught with repetitive prayers and
not things that could be used to lead the country to progress. Also, the taxes were extremely high
that made almost Filipino poor and miserable.

3. Among Rizal’s arguments, which was the most helpful to his defense of Filipinos? Explain.
I believe the most helpful argument in Rizal’s defense of Filipinos is his statement of the
abuse of the Spaniards. How they took power out of our country and governed the Philippines with
their system of discrimination and corruption against the countrymen. Aside from this is using their
religion to spread wrong doctrines from the church. Forcing Filipinos to believe in what they believe.
Additional, was their bad example of using their position to step on Filipinos and yet those Filipinos
cannot do anything because of their fear from the Spaniards.

4. In your own experience and perspective, how can you prove that the Filipinos are, in actuality,
hardworking? Cite concrete examples to make your case.
Ever since, Filipinos are undoubtedly hardworking individuals. Their passion and
dedication in fulfilling their responsibilities is incomparable. As their love on their family is their
strength to pursue anything. One example are the farmers. They work under the heat of the sun
and even though they only earn a little money they still work very hard. Another example are the
OFW, they do not mind the distance and loneliness they have to go through just as long as their
families get a better life and future. Moreover, every Filipino-worker struggle everyday but still they
are not giving up and it is one of our traits.
 Condemned (Excerpt)
by Wilfredo Ma. Guerrero

1. What conflicts are confronted by Pablo in this excerpt? Are his internal struggles more difficult than
his clashes with the other characters?
There were many included conflicts in the drama like Pablo’s lack of faith, his hatred with
his mother and his sinful doings. And even in himself he had conflicts because even though he
already changed away from a sinful man he still cannot control his self. Just like what happen where
he was moved by his angry to killed someone. He really regrets it but there was no chance for him,
he used blood therefor blood will also be used on him. Sadly, his short life was a sort of tragedy.
Pablo’s internal struggles was more difficult than his clashes with the other characters because of
his own characteristics and outlook and that was the problem. He acted so strong but behind him
was a man with weak heart. Also, because of his less faith that make him miserable.

2. How would you describe Pablo’s relationship with the three women in this excerpt?
In the drama, there are three women named Cristina, Angela and Tia Chedeng, and each
one has different stories or background relating to Pablo. Cristina was the one that Pablo is deeply
in love with. They are both full of love but because of her he had made a sin that put him in his
sentence. Angela, the woman that gave birth to Pablo. Pablo was a boy that seek for a mother love
and care yet she failed her responsibility as his mother and that’s why Pablo hated her so much.
The closest relationship Pablo had been with Tia Chedeng, the one that acted as his mother who
guided and took good care of him all over the years.

3. Is Pablo a dynamic character in this excerpt? Does his character experience significant change?
Truly, Pablo act all throughout the drama is very dynamic, the changes in his emotion was
really emphasized from the beginning until the end. As it showed different side of a man from a son
with hatred, to an affectionate lover, to a regretful convict and to a man whom feared dead. In the
end, there was really a significant changed and that was the emotion from his last words, as he
said “mother” twice. I really felt his called to his mother and that he has forgiven her. Because in
the start he showed how angry he was to his mother and that he accused her to be the root of his
all wrong doing but in the end he learned to forgive and I think that is the most important part of the
story.

4. How would you evaluate Guerrero’s use of the English language in this play?
Wilfredo Ma. Guerrero did a very good job in delivering the flow of the play with the use of
the English language. His greatness was really showcased because even though English was not
his primary language, he still excellently used it. Overall, the excerpt can be understood easily and
his way of describing the characters made the readers to imagine it effortlessly. Like how he
described some action and expressions of the characters. The choose of words like impulsively,
hesitates and etc. Certainly, his work was one of the best proofs of the Filipino’s mastery of the
language.