BICOL UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND PHILOSOPHY

Daraga, Albay

REFLECTION PAPER IN
READINGS IN PHILIPPINE
HISTORY

Submitted by:

Aculan, Omar L.
AB Political Science – 1B

Submitted to:

Prof. Glenton O. Guiriba

 Reflection on BANGSA MORO V. INANG BAYAN?

Hiwalayan o Pagkakaisa at ang Bisa ng Kasaysayan

By Michael Xiao Chua

For a very long time, the Filipino Muslims have suffered discrimination from their
fellowmen. There seems to be a stigma, a ringing in the ear, that of which invites fear and horror,
when one hears the word “Muslim”. The first thing that comes to a person’s mind is the vision of
a man with a white cloth covering his face, carrying in his right hand a rifle gun and shouting the
words “Allahu Akbar!”, which, when translated to English describes the Greatness of God. I say
one cannot be blamed for this almost innocent and made-out-of-instinct action. To be fair, there
have been many people who disguised themselves as Muslims in order to terrorize and kill
people, not for the sake of Islam—a concrete example would be the ISIS and the Abu Sayyaf
Group. And so somehow it would be a justification to the ill feelings of some of the non-Muslims.
But, what is not fair is the ignorance and stereotype that people carry when they see a veiled
woman or a fully-bearded man in the streets. This, I believe, and what the author, Michael Xiao
Chua, also does, is the reason why the Moro people wish to achieve autonomy and
independence from the mainland.

Who are we to blame them? Who are we to judge them? There have been many
instances in our history when Muslims were victimized and treated with violence, ironic to how
popular culture tend to display Muslims as terrorists. One example that Chua cited is the Jabidah
Massacre, where in the efforts of Marcos to claim Sabah as its territory, Muslim soldiers were
massacred by members of the AFP. This is believed to be the starting point of the Moro
insurgency in our country that led to different progressive movements aiming for autonomy. In
return, Muslims have grown sensitive of the actions and behaviors of non-Muslims towards
them. Three articles were presented by the author in order that we may have an in-depth view
and better perspective of who a Moro really is and what drove him to become the individual he
is today.

The Moro identity stems from the Islamic religion. Islam has formed a big part to the
formation of identity of a Moro, which, according to Majul, tells them apart from other Filipinos.
What is also important to note is the idea of the Ummah or solidarity among Muslims. This
ideology transcends culture, race, and societal background because for a Muslim, as long as
someone else believes in the same God and prophet as he does, the latter is considered his
brother. This deeper sense of brotherhood of faith is one of the factors why the Moro people of
Mindanao have a strong tribal relationship. Filipino Muslims believe that their culture is not just
a product of human interaction, but most importantly, divine intervention. Therefore, to
understand the culture and history of a Moro is to witness his faith in Allah.

According to Chua, another author by the name of Assyria Abubakar, showed the
connection between the Moros and the other ethnic groups in the Philippines long before the
spread of Islam. This provided us with an additional narrative that the Moro people do not only
rely to Islam as the source of their identity, but they also regard the heritage they shared with
other Austronesian communities. They found a common ground with these seafaring people and
have probably shared their own culture and heritage with them. While it is true that the Moro
people uphold their religion more than anything else, another important characteristic they
possess is the sense of neighborhood and connection. Hundreds of years ago, they were already
peace loving people (they still are to date) who also placed importance in communal
relationships. With the coming of Islam to the Philippines, the Moros no longer identified
themselves with the Austronesian culture alone. The Ummah ideology, alongside the Islamic
faith, became a huge part of their personality. They take pride in being the descendants and
living predecessors of Adam, not necessarily by blood, but by culture and faith.

Known for their courage to face their adversaries, the Moros themselves, for a fact, know
how much capable they are to drive away anyone who chooses to stand in their way. This
exemplary bravery could be traced hundreds of years ago when the Spaniards attempted to take
over their lands. For more than three centuries, the Moros fought to preserve and protect their
flourishing civilization. One can see how their faith and communal relationship bound them as
one against Spanish rule. Thus, we cannot blame the Moro people for holding on to this sense of
pride, to the extent of forsaking nationalism. However, their sultanate also had its flaws,
particularly in the pangangayaw or slave-raiding culture. Moro natives claim that this was done
in order to preserve what they have, but many of the non-Muslims believe otherwise. This
system of trading slaves took its toll on the agricultural and industrial sectors of the indigenous
peoples. I believe there is basis as to why some of the Filipinos have bad blood with the Moros.
One must also probe into their feelings and emotions, especially those who were victims of this
backward tradition. We cannot blame them for seeking assistance from the Spaniards because
just like the Muslims, they also wanted to preserve their growing community and colorful
heritage. Perhaps pangangayaw contributed a lot to the fact that most of the Filipinos are not in
good terms with the Muslims. I personally do not understand the need to trade slaves in order to
maintain economic activities within the community. Our other ancestors also had the system of
aliping namamahay and saguiguilid, yet they were less harsh.

From my point of view, although autonomy sounds very promising for Muslim
Mindanao, there is always a better solution. I understand that for the past centuries, the Moros
have been left behind in terms of progress. For years, they have worked so hard just to become
independent because they feel that they do not belong to us. This is the challenge to our
government—to prove that it remains impartial and it functions at the will of the people. I hope
and pray that our honorable officials address this issue and look after the welfare of the
minority. Because if in this boat, borrowing Chua’s metonymy, some people choose to leave, we
won’t attain balance and we might all sink down. I believe that we must all employ the Us
Perspective or the Pantayong Pananaw in making sure that no one is left behind. If there is one
thing I have learned from the Moro identity, that is how strong they value one another. And if we
look at each other as valuable human beings, as agents and instruments of social change, we can
help make our country a better place for every single Filipino. Let us set aside our differences,
resolve our conflicts, and settle our disputes. I hope that my fellow countrymen will not use this
as an excuse to discriminate the Muslims from Mindanao, nor should the latter grow hostile
towards the former. Let us not fight each other, for we came from one common ancestor.
Rather, it is a fight against the oppressors and the abusers who continue to promote their
personal interests.
 Reflection on WALKING HISTORY

We did not Come from the Ita, Indones, nor Malay!

By Michael Xiao Chua

When I was in first grade, my Social Studies teacher taught me that there were three
groups of people who settled in our lands thousands of years ago in different time periods.
Evidences of this include our diverse physical attributes—some resemble the Negritos, others
the Indonesians, and some the Malay seafarers. Thirteen years later, this is the theory that I
believe regarding the origin of the Filipinos. Not until I came across Chua’s article, reiterating
how archaeologist H. Otley Beyer’s theory had long been debunked. I was very much astounded
and I felt like I had been lied to the whole time. Nevertheless, this paper authored by Michael
Xiao Chua gave me more room to reflect and provide insight about the origin of our race.

Personally, one commentary I can make would deal with our educational system. The fact
that the Migration Theory was debunked as early as the 1970s and received disagreement from
many Filipino anthropologists for lack of concrete validation says a lot about our level of
historical appreciation. Schools continue to teach the theory as the generally accepted truth, yet
there are many others which provide more evidences to our beginning. Historians and social
scientists study our past for many years in order to confute previously made claims. They are on
a continuous mission to give us new evidences and proofs that shall provide a better picture of
what really happened in the past. That is why it is called a theory, because it is not the absolute
truth, rather a generally accepted one, which could be falsified with new discoveries. I also
believe that whatever we study today and accept to be true may not be so for the next fifty years
or so. Therefore, teachers, schools, and administrators, in collaboration with textbook authors,
must exert efforts to be updated with recent findings for the students to be constantly updated.

Not to divert from the topic of concern, another reason why Beyer’s theory is
problematic, is it suggests a more passive national identity. It implies that we did not come from
our own and that we are just a product of foreign settlers inhabiting our lands for thousands of
years. However, Jocano begs to disagree. The different human fossils and artifacts discovered
suggest that first Filipinos evolved in our lands, as opposed to Beyer’s theory of migration. It also
implies the probability that our early inhabitants came from a single culture, and that through
the years, they migrated and spread out to the different parts of the world. Another theory
posed by Solheim explains why the Southeast Asian culture is spread out across the Asia-Pacific
region. He believed that trading was the primary reason of this migration due to the artifacts
found in different countries of today. Solheim’s theory of trading network was challenged by
Bellwood’s “out of Taiwan” model. The Austronesians from Taiwan migrated to the Philippines
some 5000-10,000 years BCE. Bellwood’s theory is founded more on a linguistic aspect, focusing
on the groups of people who spoke languages under the same family tree. Nevertheless, this is
an indication that the Filipinos were one of the first Austronesians. Through time, we developed
our skills in seafaring as a means of transportation. It also depicts how our ancestors evolved
through time in order to adapt to their environment. To me, this makes sense as to why the
peoples of Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, and even New Zealand have many similarities with the
people of Southeast Asia.

Learning, itself, is a continuous life process. So is learning about our past. Every day,
social scientists come up with new theories and posit claims about our origin—where we came
from, who were our forefathers, and what it was like having lived thousands of years ago. It is
our duty as descendants of this nation, sharing one culture, to keep on studying about our rich
heritage and our genesis. By doing so, we do not only animate the past of our ancestors, but we
also connect with our brothers and sisters by culture from different places of the world.
 Reflection on Kalinisan, Lakas, at Tibay ng Loob sa Praktis ng Sabil sa Sulu noong Digmaang
Pilipino-Amerikano

By Ayshia F. Kunting

Today, the people of Sulu, take pride in being the most valiant and dauntless warriors
history has ever witnessed. Among these people is a distinct group of fighters known as the sabil.
Its roots are taken from the Islamic faith and its concept of jihad or resistance. In this altruistic
and selfless deed, the sabil will attack his enemy using a kris, a type of sword used by the Moro.
He manages to kill and wound some of them before he falls to his death due to multiple
gunshots. A sabil already accepts his certain death and even anticipates it after he fulfills his
mission. Thus, the practice of sabil requires a deepened understanding of its nature as well as
the role of purity or kalinisan ng loob, strength or lakas ng loob, and endurance or tibay ng loob.
For years, the Spaniards and Americans alike took part in bringing dishonor and demoralization
to the sabil’s reputation. Albeit the case, after reading this article composed by Ayshia F. Kunting,
I have come to examine and analyze the different aspects of this honorable fight and gain
respect towards them. Kunting’s in-depth and detailed description of the sabil provided a never-
seen-before side of the last warriors of Sulu.

For three hundred years, the Muslims of Mindanao remained unconquered all thanks to
the sabil. At the time when the Philippines was a colony of Spain, the sabil was organized under
the directive of the Sultan or the chief. This was one of the guiding principles of sabil, to be
formed and executed upon the leader’s orders. But, the Moro people were forced to conduct
sabil through smaller groups when they were infiltrated by the Spaniards. This was one of the
very first instances which sparked a bigger flame in the hearts of the warriors to further their
quest of freedom. Seen as another sign of betrayal, the Kiram-Bates Treaty was later agreed
upon by the Sultan of Sulu and the Americans. This agreement created a feud among the people
of Muslim Mindanao. There were individuals who doubted the goodness of the foreigners in
their land. They knew that they will eventually be forced to accept fealty to the colonizers and
surrender the freedom they have been protecting for the past three decades. The Moros also
believed that whoever was their political leader must also be their spiritual figurehead as well.
When the Americans took control over their political domain, the Muslims feared that their
religion will be put in a very unfavorable position. This division among the people of Sulu proved
to be catastrophic, as it resulted to the small sabil with many warriors ending up dead. However,
on the other spectrum, this also strengthened their loob and contributed to their willingness to
face inevitable death, for they know that they can never trust their leaders, but only themselves.
One can see the similarity of this event to the status quo of our country. The Philippine
government, through the unconditional loyalty of President Duterte, seemed to have pledged its
allegiance to China and swore to never lay a finger on it, even if our sovereignty and
independence is put at stake. We know for a fact that we stand at a bigger advantage, having
won the favorable decision of the international courts, but the Chinese will never give up what
they claim is theirs. Why can’t we be like the sabil, who would die for the welfare of its nation
and not some incompetent and ill-tempered legislator who would do the same for his president?

Kunting wanted to paint a fair and just image to the sabil that would allude to their honor
and valor. Thus, she explained how every sabil must bear purity, strength, and endurance of the
loob or self. The first thing a volunteer must consider before undergoing sabil is his purity, which
transcends his physical attributes and includes one’s intentions, will, and desire. Kalinisan in the
outside cannot be fully achieved without cleansing his inside. One of the rituals done by a sabil is
spiritual cleansing, which is done by listening to an imam or a Muslim religious leader tell tales of
their forefathers’ greatness and the rewards that await them in the afterlife. They would spend
the last certain night of their lives praying to Allah and reading the Holy Qur’an. Sabil is not very
distant from jihad. In Islam, when a person dies in the state of jihad, he shall be granted the
bounties of paradise. Therefore, it is one of the blessings a sabil can ever receive. Personally, I
look at purity or kalinisan ng loob as the conditioning of the mind and heart of a person,
something we can see boxers and athletes do before every game. In a similar, yet, grave way, the
sabil is trained to be inspired and become motivated to fight for the greater good. This is where
the question “Para kanino ka lumalaban?” enters. A person who wages into a war without a
reason for doing so is no match to a warrior who thinks of his fellowmen’s freedom and welfare.
This is why many of our activists today, despite constant red-tagging and harassment done by
government and military authorities never cease to let their voices be heard. They are not afraid
to die for their country because they know how much their people needs them.

Aside from his inner self that needs to be reformed, the person who volunteers to
become a sabil must also undergo the ritual of cleaning his physical body. It includes ghusl or the
major ablution done by Muslims in order to remove impurities from their bodies as a result of
sexual intercourse, menstruation in women, and other related causes. One can see the extent of
preparation done by the sabil to ensure his purity when the cleansing ritual of the deceased is
also performed over him. According to Islamic belief, the remains of dead person must be
bathed before burial within twenty four hours. And because these people are waging into war
where there is no assurance to their lives, they have prepared themselves beforehand. This goes
to show their willingness to offer their lives and die for the sake of their people and for Allah. At
this point, they are no longer afraid of death, but are even looking forward to it as the pinnacle
of their deed. The Moros also place high value to filial piety for in the event of an impending
sabil, the volunteer would always ask permission from his parents. Afterall, without them, he
would have never been in this world. As a sign of gratitude and indebtedness to the sacrifices of
his guardians, he shall bid them his last good-byes. He also invokes the testament of faith “La
Illaha Illallah, Muhammad Rasullulah”, which, if becomes his last words on earth, God may grant
him the goodness of the hereafter. What I can understand from this part is how sabil is not just
the mere resistance against transgression, rather it is also a form of ibadah, or practices done to
worship Allah. For in Islam, jihad or fighting for the cause of God is one of the biggest ibadat that
a Muslim may perform.

If purity helps condition a person before waging into war, then his strength is what makes
him successful in accomplishing this mission. A person who has a kalinisan ng loob, but not lakas
ng loob will not succeed. Granted that he knows the extent of what he is fighting for, how can he
defend it well without his physical strength? This resistance against their oppressors and the
powerful elite is still evident a hundred years later, not only among the people of Sulu, but also
other ethnic minorities whose lives are endangered because of the personal interests of the
bourgeoisie. The people want to be free and achieve independence for that is what they believe
could give them the sense of belongingness and distinguish their identity and pride as what Chua
has discussed in his article. Although they are given a platform to raise their concerns, issues,
and problems, those are still insufficient. This is why many of the Moro people have formed
progressive movements as early as the 1970s to attain absolute autonomy—few of them include
the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro International Liberation Front. They believe
that they will finally be able to enjoy their rights as individuals if they shall be governed by a
separate and sovereign authority. This was proven by the plebiscite held last 2019, where the
majority of the citizens of ARMM concurred with the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which shall become
the framework of their new political entity.

Sabil is said to fall under the two categories of jihad. The jihad al akbar or greater
struggle against one’s worldly desires, while the jihad al asghar refers to resistance through the
means of war. They could also be interchanged, yet nevertheless, sabil is both fighting against
one’s hunger of the flesh and fighting in the name of their glory and honor. One must also
understand that although a jihadist or a sabil prepares himself for his imminent death, he will do
his best to prevent being killed. In addition, if the principles and concepts of jihad were to be
carefully studied, one would understand that there are certain guidelines that a jihadis must
follow and limitations he cannot cross. One incident which could be an example of jihad’s
limitation would be the prohibition of killing innocent people and children. When one Moro
attacked a soldier who happened to be with his daughter, he was stabbed to death while the
latter was spared. This proves that jihad is not done for the sake of spreading violence, contrary
to what Islamophobia is preaching to people.

The accounts and narratives written by the colonizers as well as their twisted statements
were aimed at picturing the Moro warriors as terrorists, probably one of the earliest instances of
red-tagging. However, one must understand the difference between a terrorist and a warrior. A
terrorist protects his evil and selfish interests, while the latter does the same in order to protect
his freedom, reclaim glory, and uphold justice. During the Spanish conquest, a sabil was called a
juramentado, a derogatory term meant to disgrace and bring dishonor to his reputation. These
noble warriors were not exempted from American transgression, for they were branded crazy
and madmen. Again, the same comparison can be made between the branding done by the
foreigners to the Moros and the red-tagging of progressive groups in opposition to the
government. When the Americans were able to dispose of the bodies of the warriors, they would
put pigs alongside them to further demoralize their dignity. However the Moros are still
considered pure, because it was not his intention to be under such circumstance. The same is
seen today, when many alleged drug pushers and users, mostly from the lowest class of the
society, are shot dead in what policemen would describe a hot pursuit. They claim to possess a
positive identity of the person, which would give them the authority to shoot them. Afterwhich,
posters with words like “Drug pusher ako, ‘wag tularan” would then be placed before their
lifeless bodies.

The endurance or tibay ng loob did not shake the Moro people and even made them
stronger. Alejo differentiated lakas ng loob from tibay ng loob through the following: the former
refers to the courage in facing obstacles, while the latter is the capacity to endure the fight to
the extent of his ability. It is the determination to continue fighting despite unfavorable
circumstances or what psychology would call the perseverance effect of a individual. For me,
what sets the sabil from other warriors is their level of endurance. Their determination to defend
their territory and face certain death emanates from their belief that good things will happen.
Furthermore, the principle of Qadr or fate in Islam is also what guides the Moros. They believe
that their destiny was already written by God even before their conception in this world, thus to
rely and submit their lives to His Will is the greatest sabil one can ever do. One can also say that
the battle they were fighting was also guided by God. Even so, it would also be impossible if the
Moros would be able to miraculously kill every single one of his enemies and emerge alive.

This article regarding the practice of sabil shed light to some of my queries and doubts
regarding the image and reputation of these warriors. It provided me with a better picture of
who they were and what they were fighting for. As someone who also practices Islam, it felt as
though I was able to achieve a common ground where I understand their rationale behind this
centuries old fight. What they are facing today is no longer a dispute over their territories,
wealth, and culture, it is a war against the socio-political and religious discrimination done by the
upper class to the lower class of the society. And although what they aspire to achieve is far
within reach today, through the grace of Allah and by the greatness of their contemporary
fighters, they will be able to attain them someday.
 Reflection on Diwang Katutubo na Nanatili sa Kapatirang Rizalista

By Michael Xiao Chua

There seems to be a great deal of confusion when the word Rizalista is heard. This
confusion intensifies to bewilderment, with a lot of head-scratching and abhorrent chuckles
made by the majority of the people. I first came into knowing this group who prays to Rizal and
claim him god a few years back. Usually, one would hear about them in the news whenever it is
our national hero’s birth and death anniversary or during the celebration of our independence.
Later on, this would prove the strong influence of nationalism and patriotism to this religious
sect. In spite of this handful of news scopes from time to time, no one seemed to give the
Rizalians the benefit of a platform to properly introduce themselves to the people. Ironically,
they represent the ideal Filipinos that sadly, most of us have failed to become. Due to this lack of
relevant information about them for public consumption, many questions arose in my mind.
Who are these people who claim that Rizal and Jesus Christ are one? Why are they doing this?
When did this exaltation of our national hero who was once called Pepe begin and what drove it
to attract many followers? Prior to reading this article, I would say I held very limited knowledge
regarding this brotherhood. My belief was that they were some sort of a cult, who because of
their deep love for the country, regarded Rizal as the supernatural. I was not fully wrong, for as a
matter of fact, this group of people derives their faith from the collective principles of indigenous
beliefs, Catholicism, and nationalism which is also known as the tripartite view. The existence of
this group is a manifestation of how the followers have preserved their culture and heritage for
many years.

There are some scholars who argue whether Rizal really represented the marginalized—
the ordinary Filipino people. I would somehow go by it because he was very much influenced by
Western thinking and philosophy as a result of many years of studying and residing abroad.
There was a detachment on his part because he did not fully understand the plight of the
Filipinos and continued with his propaganda movement, which was to push for a reform that
would give the Filipinos and Spaniards equal rights. His image did not fit the native concept of a
hero who would render his service to the nation without asking anything in return.
Notwithstanding, one cannot deny that his peaceful revolution inspired the Filipino masses to
advocate for change. Despite the huge disparity between Rizal’s thinking and the happenings at
the baseline, he still played a huge role in inspiring the Filipino revolutionists to advance their
desire to achieve freedom. Rizal was gradually integrated in the minds and hearts of the people
as a hero, and to the farthest extent as God or the Messiah. This was their way out or a form of
escape from the abusive and corrupt clergymen. The early Filipinos realized that in order to
preserve what was passed down to them, they may incorporate the new teachings of
Catholicism and animate the noble characteristics of Rizal into their beliefs—thus the samahan
or kapatiran was born.

One thing that I found interesting and admirable about this association is their concept of
brotherhood. This kapatiran is not new to us because this is what consolidated and united the
Katipuneros, the early Filipino revolutionists. This deeper sense of connection manifested in
solidarity, communion, and cooperation explains the birth of a nation, a nation in which its
members are also from the kapatiran. The Rizalians have a very deeper bond who do not just
consider themselves members of the same religious domination, rather as brothers and sisters
who came from one real mother—our Inang Bayan. This can be compared to the ideology of the
Ummah, or the strong sense of solidarity among Muslim communities. I believe this is one of the
reasons why they are never easily bent, albeit the discrimination and isolation they receive from
the majority of the people—because they value each other more than anyone else. It is
something we, the non-believers of this faith must inculcate in our lives as citizens of this one
indivisible nation. If we learn to value one another, respect and acknowledge that we have the
same rights as individuals, that we can live in harmony, and help each other in times of need, we
will be able to achieve a much better country for all of us.

Another important aspect of the kapatiran is the kaluluwa. Members of the brotherhood
expect their fellowmen to possess a good soul and a pure kalooban and avoid having a bad or
impure soul. This is a manifestation that they are not bad people and they do not propagate false
teachings. They hold on to the beliefs of their forefathers regarding morality and humanity, to do
good and forsake the bad. Therefore, we must set aside our prejudices and judgments and treat
them with kindness. Unlike the teachings of Catholicism, they believe that our soul is essentially
good and we must protect it from the intervention of bad spirits, thus, our forefathers wore
anting-anting or amulets. This tradition never died, rather became part of these newly-
propagated religions. They incorporated ancient practices and designs from Christianity and
Islam into their own—thus, creating a spectrum of diverse customs. One of these designs is the
triangle with an eye in the middle, which the Christians adopted from the Egyptians and
subsequently became the inspiration of the triangle with three stars and one sun, at least
according to the narrative of the brotherhood. If one would make sense out of it, he would use
as proof how members of the Katipunan also wore anting-anting and how the sun in our flag was
the representation of the Sun god. However, a much more sound argument is that we borrowed
the triangle from the Cuban flag, because at the time of the Filipino-Hispanic War, Cuba was also
fighting for its sovereignty. Nevertheless, it would be unrighteous to say that the kapatiran and
the early Filipinos as well had no sense of culture.

To explain how Rizal is venerated as a deity by the Rizalista brotherhood, one must delve
into the realms of anitoism. Its concept is very much simple. When the body of a person dies, his
soul comes back to earth as an anito or a spiritual deity. The brotherhood’s understanding of
anitoism meant that Rizal’s soul is still alive and looks after his people. While the kapatiran looks
at it in a more literal sense, that Rizal is an immortal and is protecting the living, I look at it
figuratively. Perhaps he is still alive, not physically nor spiritually, rather alive in his ideals,
notions, and principles in life. These were upheld by the Katipuneros and the Filipino masses
who used them as their bases for revolting against the Spaniards. He is still alive today because
the Filipino people believe in his philosophy and way of thinking. Interesting to note, as well, how
the Rizalistas tend to associate Rizal with Christ as his reincarnated form. They hold on to their
purported evidences which tell us how their birth, life, death, and resurrection resemble each
other. Although it was amusing to read these assertions, one must understand why they believe
such. Our forefathers wanted to explain the unexplained. They desired to rationalize and make
sense of things around them, thus creating gods which catered to their needs. They needed light,
there was the sun god. They wished for rain, they prayed to the rain god. Perhaps they needed a
figure who was brave, courageous enough to resist his oppressors, and so they sought after Rizal
to be that representative. They found something in him, in his life and works, and they wanted
their god to be someone like him and so they made him a deity—either by claiming that he is the
Divine or the reincarnation of Christ.

Babaylanism was also another pertinent and prevalent theme among the Rizalista groups.
Many of these sects under the brotherhood are led by a female figure which is very reminiscent
of the ancient babaylan or religious leaders who were mostly women. When they saw the
concept of Trinity—God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, they questioned the lack of a
female representation. This is also a query which many of those who argue with the Christian
religion ask. To the Filipinos, the babaylan formed an integral part of the community and was as
essential as the datu or chieftain. And so for her to not have a role in the Catholic faith is
something unacceptable. This explains why there are many female heads of the kapatiran. The
Rizalista groups are also guided by the so-called santong voces or the holy voices, which
explained how the followers were able to receive revelations from God. These same voices
instructed the people to establish the place of worship in Mt. Banahaw, which is referred to by
the kapatiran as the Promised Land or Jerusalem. The holy voices were also featured in Emilio
Jacinto’s writings—only to be called “Freedom.” From what I can understand, I would compare
these voices to one’s good conscience or his good intentions. It is only the self which drives this
intuition to surface and translate it into actions. To them, these voices are holy, therefore, it
could not instruct them to do something evil or vile. In addition, Jacinto’s attempt to attract
more people in the revolution by using an important aspect of the people’s beliefs proved to be
successful. The Katipunan was able to encourage many people to join their act of resistance. This
could also be done the other way around, where religious leaders influence their followers to do
certain deeds that was also manifested through Cardinal Sin during the 1986 EDSA and the block
voting done by INC members. To further the narrative that Rizal is really God, he is regarded to
be the santong voces in reference to the tenth stanza of “Mi Ultimo Adios”.

In any religious domination or belief system, the practice of pilgrimage or peregrination is

the zenith of one’s religious custom. The members of the Rizalista brotherhood also perform
pilgrimages to holy sites where they believe the anitos dwell. This is another form of adoration
and reverence to the Divine, a reminder of His Omnipotence and Omnipresence. It is a means of
cleansing oneself and remembering the sacrifices of Christ for the sake of humankind and
another realization that they are not a cult. Their practices could also be mirrored in our own
rituals in accordance with our beliefs. Personally, this gave me another level of understanding of
the Rizalistas and that we must respect them and their customs. They are just like any other
believer of God, they preach His goodness, the need to purify oneself and have a good kalooban,
value the essence of the kapatiran, which is the golden rule of Christ. In spite of the numerous
differences, there are still similarities that we must celebrate and give importance to. The
Rizalistas also have a high regard for nature because they believe that the spirits reside here. For
us, though we do not believe in such, we must adapt their care for nature and learn to be
responsible citizens. They are not different from us for our beliefs stem from the same roots. We
may have varying traditions, but our beliefs are essentially one.

Among all the cited instances where our ancestral heritage is present with the Rizalian
brotherhood, the tripartite view of history is my personal favorite. It explains how much our
country means to the followers of Jose Rizal. The Spaniards refused to acknowledge the fact that
even before their colonization, our ancestors already had a flourishing civilization—with our own
government, rich and diversified culture, morals and principles, and a belief system which is still
evident today. They made use of Christian doctrines in order to brainwash us into thinking that
we must experience all these hardships and injustices because they were just cleansing our souls
and purifying us from our sins in order that we may be fortunate in the afterlife. It is, therefore,
though bold, sufficient to say that this was their propaganda to encroach our lands with less
resistance from the Filipinos. This is in contrast to the tripartite perspective of the kapatiran
which resembled Christ’s life—birth, agony in life and death, and resurrection. One can really
decipher how our motherland is given much importance, which describes them as patriotic and
nationalistic people. It is amazing how we view them as barbaric or as a group of savages without
rational beliefs, however, they are the ones who truly value our pride and nationalism. If Rizal
were alive today, and is indeed, according to their beliefs, he would be truly proud of them for
instilling this value, translated into their beliefs and practices. We must be ashamed of ourselves
for our generation does not have this kind of love for our country. We have become passive
people who do not care about the issues and concerns of today and would rather spend time on
nonsensical things. One can argue that the “youth” is still the hope of tomorrow. For probably,
this hope that we fail to see in our youth has long been present among the Rizalistas. They
advocate to bring back what was once lost ever since the colonization of the West—our identity
and pride as Filipinos. Anchored with this identity is our determination to resist and fight
oppression against our race, our rights, and our freedom. This high regard to our country is
something worth emulating from the kapatiran.

The Rizalistas are a living proof that we do not need to fight each other despite our
religious differences. They may be comprised of different sects, yet they still live in harmony and
unity. It is an actualization that we can live together as one, celebating our uniqueness for we
can learn something from them that we can apply to become better individuals. The
brotherhood is a distinct, yet colorful kaleidoscope of traditions. It shows the assimilation of
indigenous beliefs through the practices of their forefathers, Catholicism showed in their belief
in Christ, and nationalism demonstrated by their love for Rizal. This article written by Chua
helped the Rizalistas gain better representation and perception from its readers. My only wish is
that more people out there be able to read this important document which could be key to
better understanding and acceptance of the brotherhood.
 Reflection on ART AS VESSEL OF HISTORY

Emotional Reflections on Culture, Nation, and the Manunggul Jar

By Michael Xiao Chua

The Manunggul Jar is more than just a masterpiece of art. It is a vessel of our preserved
culture and history. It represents who we are as people and the colorful background where we
came from. This container also provides linkages to other countries and explains how our ancient
civilization was already developed and progressive. This article written by Chua gave a new
viewpoint to this ancient artifact and regarded it as our identifier.

The prevalent artistic and beautious themes in the burial jar were also evident in the
classics of our neighbors in Southeast Asia. This is a proof that our ancestors were part of a large
single community of seafaring people. Despite how the Filipinos themselves possess a diverse
array of customs and traditions, one can still see the similarity among the Austronesian marine
merchants.

Aside from providing association of our country to the neighboring Southeast Asian lands,
it speaks of how essential were the waters to our ancestors. When there were no internet
connections, telephones, aeroplanes, and land travel was inaccesible, the ancient people sought
after the bodies of water in order to commence trade and relations with neighboring places. This
is why the early Filipinos treated our seas and rivers with utmost care and respect. This also
made us travel as far as Africa and South America, which supports the theories that tell how the
Filipinos formed part of the early Austronesians. It is not impossible for the motifs found in the
artifacts such as the Manunggul Jar resemble the art found in places such as Malaysia and
Taiwan. The waters were also deemed holy by our forefathers. It served as the passageway to
the life after death. The boats were regarded to be the instruments of this spiritual journey. The
belief of anitoism is ostensible through the very design of the jar’s cover. It demonstrates how
the early Filipinos valued morality and humanity. The Manunggul Jar is a testament how our
forefathers cherished a mabuting kalooban. It is a manifestation that they were not barbaric and
savages, as opposed to the narrative given by our colonizers and by ignorants who do not know
their history. They had a pure heart which allowed them to live in harmony with others and show
them mercy and compassion.

It is disappointing and frustrating how the depiction and representation given to the
ancient peoples did not give justice to who they really were. If one would look closely into the
past, he will able to witness their greatness and the rich culture that they valued. Culture that
they still are valuing today. Jose Rizal also made note of this wonder aspect of an important
Filipino quality—a sense of identity. What was once lost shall be regained once we become free
from foreign control. We shall be able to rekindle that spark in our hearts, bring forth the
goodness in us which causes us to act with compassion to others and remind us of our pride to
be citizens of this one great nation.

Indeed, the Manunggul Jar is more than just a jar. It tells us of great stories about our
forefathers, their beliefs, their outlook towards life and death, but most importantly, having a
mabuting kalooban that is the core of one’s personhood. It embodies all our encounters and
ambitions in life. It is an emblem of hope, something that will never be lost in us. For in the
presence of hope, we believe that there will always be a room to improve and opportunity to
develop.