Miriam College

1st Semester S.Y 2018 – 2019

Reflection Paper on Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral

Denean Annica M. Navarro September 21, 2018 (Friday) 10:30 – 12:00nn

The first thing that you witness in watching the film, Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral, is how
flawed we Filipinos and our leaders are. Though many of us admit that we are disappointed about
how our historic events turned out to be, many hidden messages were depicted and are to be learned
in the story. I would like to start with the character of Joven, who is a fictional character that we
thought was only created to be the storyteller who witnessed the wars. But on a scene where he
was talking with his uncle the photographer about not knowing what he could learn from these
people around him, his uncle simply said, “E di matuto ka sa mga pagkakamali nila.” This is what
we Filipinos should do at this moment in facing the adversaries we see today. I see the entire
Filipino generation today in Joven’s character who is just watching events unfold before his eyes
and going with the winds wherever it takes him. Being mere bystanders while the country crumbles,
has become an inherited trait from our forefathers. This could also be seen especially with our
president nowadays that while our economy is depreciating in value, he just lets his managers do
the work which contributed nothing, while he shuts Trillanes with an amnesty and a conflict starts
between the two. That instead of focusing on the real problems of our country, our leaders worry
more about the “politics” in the hierarchical system, trying to eliminate people that do not stand
with the president’s views and principles. Rodrigo Duterte is the modern Emilio Aguinaldo of this
century, who instead of helping the Philippines rise up to greatness, he attacks his people especially
the poor through his order of extrajudicial killings, while those in power who are really the roots
to the drugs stay untouched until now. Like Emilio Aguinaldo, he never really took care of his
people and only cares about maintaining the people’s loyalty to him. Because he did not care for
his people, the people will also not care for him who leads the country. Simply put, the Revolution
in 1899 - 1902 against the Americans failed because of wrong leading of our government and
leaders. And we may fail again as a country by choosing the wrong leaders who govern our actions,
blindly listening to our own principles and forgetting who we are.
 There was a scene in the movie when Manuel Bernal was captured and tries to bully Goyo
saying that he is merely a dog of the President. That because of his loyalty to the President he
forgot to follow his own thoughts, principles, and morals. I concur that it is depicted that Emilio
Aguinaldo was just an idol to be admired by his people. He became above the people like an idol
or a god to be worshiped, but what we really need is a leader that is equal to us and can build the
country through strong teamwork with his fellow members and a common goal of rising as a
country. Setting aside the personal gains and sacrificing for the greater good of the country. This
was the mistake that our heroes have made that is most likely to happen again in the present
national leadership if we do not become one as a country.

We should not hide from the shame we’ve committed on ourselves by choosing leaders
that are more “priviledged” and “tough,” and ignoring or ousting those who have the ability to
change the country for the better. Throughout history, it were Filipinos who killed their great
leaders that could lead them to freedom and independence because of the fear of that their passion,
vision, and ambition to make the impossible happen is understated. That is freedom. That because
of our own selfish ways, it resulted to the hundreds of years of slavery and colonization. In the
movie, I remember one character saying that Filipinos mostly care about their families first. But
sacrificing family for the country is not an idea that the Filipinos agree with. Though it is a trait
that is to be admired by others, it has also caused our downfall. But maybe it was never really a
trait of “family-orientedness,” but of fear of going into the unknown knowing your life is fragile.
Even Goyo is seen as scared many times because he remembers again and again that his life is on
the line and he is just a mortal. Fear was great. And Filipinos would rather change their costumes
from a Philippine soldier to a lowly Filipino and run for their lives. Ginhawa kesa dignidad.

History was made not just for appreciation or preservation but as a guide to know where
we came from and learn from the mistakes of the past. Americans have won the Philippine-
American war not because they are stronger and had more weapons, but they simply just sit back
and watch as we Filipinos stab and kill each other in the back. That because we were not one with
all the others, it created our doom. Goyo and Heneral Luna died, and so was the courage and
dignity of the Filipinos.

It was also seen in the movie that both Filipinos and Americans used members of the ethnic
tribes on the mountains as their guide but treated them wrongly and tied them. We should not treat
these people as if they are someone lower than we are for they have more culture and heart than
the modern Filipinos. Let us help them as they have helped us in many ways. And as for the
Americans who manipulated Filipinos by giving false peace and freedom, we should learn to take
control of our country than have foreigners using our country for business and dominion.

When people in the higher ranks do just little actions to help the country, it is already
considered negligence to the people. Wrong leadership results to a deteriorating country. Maybe
it is true that they call us children, for we get confused and forget our responsibilities for life
pleasures. But the theme of the movie was never really to make Filipinos look bad and defeated
but it revolves around the quote, “Tandaan mo kung sino ka,” which was the phrase Julian del Pilar
always reminds Goyo when he is lost and afraid. We too should remind ourselves with this quote.
To come back to our roots. Remember our purpose, nationality, history, and cultures. We need
time for self-reflection, knowing what mistakes were made and learning from these. It is time to
remember that we are Filipinos.