CARLO S.

PACANA BSBA – MM GE- LWR (MWF- 10:30 – 11:30 AM)

"The First Filipino" by Guerrero, Leon Maria

This biography of Jose Rizal was amazingly written by Guerrero; like he was telling a fictional
story to the readers. He started the book with an introduction and experiences of the Last Spaniard,
who became the antagonist of the First Filipino, Jose Rizal. The book is not just an account of Rizal's
life, but there is also analysis of each of his work. In the last chapter of the book, it was mentioned
that Rizal was the first to taught countrymen that they could be something else: Filipinos.

According to historians and local book authors, there was no Filipino before Jose Rizal. Lapu-Lapu,
Pedro Paterno, and the Silangs were apparently not Filipinos based on the scholars’ remarks. People
get puzzled, asking, if Rizal was the first Filipino, then what do we call those before him?

All these people were just protecting their territory before Rizal, pushing their own personal interests.
They were just their own country's people. Lapu-Lapu waged war against Magellan in order to
maintain Mactan's independence from the King of Spain. The "Prince of Luzon" wanted to be Pedro
Paterno, a status equal to that of a Spanish prince or duke. The Silangs fought Ilocanos ' abuse.

None of them was fighting for the Philippines, nor did they fight as Filipinos. Back then, the
reference to being a Filipino was more of a geographical term than a nation's united citizens.

Spanish was called Indian natives. Natives, like Cebuano’s of Cebu and Tagalog of Manila, name
themselves dependent on where they are situated geographically. The islands of the Philippines are
dispersed, so was our unity.

That's what made the first Philippine Rizal.

He never deserved to be called a Filipino, considering what Aguinaldo did, having executed his rival
yet mentor Bonifacio. In committing a murder, we would not want our first Filipino to be the brain.

What shouldn't Bonifacio? It may be because the principles of the Supremo have been promoted in a
manner comparable to war. He began his struggle by tearing his cedula, showing his aggressiveness
while Rizal began his struggle by writing, showing his intelligence, courage and perseverance.

They have love for the victims, not the victors. We named Rizal the First Filipino because of various
and Christ-like sacrifices he made. Christ, like Rizal, was being persecuted by an unfair and unruly
power.

Also, Rizal is the First Filipino because he was the only one of many of our heroes to inspire a
nation. His works and ideals have been able to penetrate not only the hearts of Filipinos, but also the
world.

Guerrero, Leon Maria. The First Filipino. Guerrero Publishing, 2007.

CARLO S. PACANA BSBA – MM GE- LWR (MWF- 10:30 – 11:30 AM)

"Rizal Without the Overcoat" by: Ocampo, Ambeth

The book is a collection of articles of Ocampo. This book is distinctly unique than other
books since it tells about the “more human” side of Jose Rizal; what a usual Filipino would do. It
presented Rizal without the overcoat of the European influence which is because he has undergone
a European education. It’s the kind of book where you’ve got to find out what Jose Rizal had this
morning for breakfast, what happened to his love lives and etc.

This book is a collection of essays from the newspaper column "Looking Back" by Ambeth R.
Ocampo, which began in the Philippine Daily Globe and then transferred to the Philippine Daily
Inquirer. He provides Jose Rizal with a succinct and painless introduction and offers insightful
observations, vibrant anecdotes, scholarly suspense, and obscure details about the human hero.
Investigating Rizal's own writings— his diaries, letters, and other papers — Ocampo is trying to strip
the myriad myths and rumors surrounding the national hero.

This book is a compilation of 94 articles that Ambeth Ocampo wrote for his column “Looking Back”
in the newspaper Philippine Daily Globe from October 1987 to July 1990. By “removing the
overcoat” Ocampo meant that he wanted the Filipinos to learn the “more human” side of Dr. Jose
Rizal (1861-1896), our county’s national hero. You see, Dr. Rizal’s monuments all over the country
are normally based on those pictures of him while he was in cold countries of Europe so he wore an
overcoat which is something not needed when you are in the Philippines.

I do appreciate the intent of Ocampo and probably his publishers in coming up with this compilation.
Filipinos must know more about Rizal and Ocampo is still young so he has that appeal to our
younger generations. There is no question that the book is worth all its awards and accolades on this
aspect.

This book is Good resource material for those interested in re-learning Rizal the non-traditional way.

But do understand that there are better sources of information for Rizal's life and works like those
stated in the book's bibliography.