ESPANA, Josiah Samuel O.

BSA II

B124 – Rizal’s Life, Works and Writings

INSTRUCTIONS: Write an essay discussing your ideas about Nationalism. Minimum of 10

sentences up to 20 sentences

TO BE PRO-COUNTRY
By: Josiah Samuel O. Espana

The paroxysm of sovereignty and exuberance suddenly vanished like a puff of smoke
when the Spaniards came to our nation. Filipino nationalism, in the early Spanish
regime, is barely heard as a hush, unfelt and a thing of subservience by the Filipinos to
their unsympathetic rulers of tyranny and coercion.

The cruel leaders established a discriminating and unfair educational system in our
realm where almost all colleges and universities were made exclusive only to Spaniards
and Spanish mestizos. Another key thing to remember is the lack of unity among
Filipinos due to the policy of “divide and rule” of the Spanish government. These are just
some of the multitudinous disproportions and discriminations that occurred in the
Spanish epoch where nationalism had been vastly affected by factors that made the
Filipinos as helpless and voiceless against the conquerors.

Eventually, realizing the unnumbered prejudice and bigotry, some nationalist Filipinos
began their search for fairness, justice and impartiality, and initiated moves towards
Filipino nationalism. Regarded as the first Filipino nationalist, it was Dr. Jose P. Rizal
who imparted us, his countrymen, that we could be something else. He crammed his
great novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo with classical allusions to express
saddening conditions of the society, beliefs, and the cry of Filipino people. In lieu of
sulking under a dark cloud of melancholia, he employed a sweet revolt – by the use of
his pen. Through this, he was able to expose the corruptions and abuses in the
government, the wrong use of religion, the impartiality between rich and poor people,
among others. Given that, his most distinct influence was the opening of the eyes of the
Filipinos to be a Filipino and a nationalist at the same time.

Above all, the martyrdom of Jose Rizal was the beginning of the Filipino nationalism. It
is a testimony to his greatness that the ideals and principles he wrote and died for still
provide inspiration to our people – to be pro-country and to endear our nation’s soil.