Name: Tamba, Jan Arvie P.

Course: HIS-301

A Reaction Paper on Jose Rizal: Sa Landas ng Paglaya

National Historical Commission of the Philippines’s video documentary entitled “JOSÉ

RIZAL: Sa Landas ng Paglaya” (Ladanga, 2016) is part of their Heroes Documentary Series
project. The documentary started by introducing Jose Rizal to the eyes of Filipinos. One says that
she first encountered Rizal through a one-peso coin, while the other says that he knows Rizal
because of the street called Avenida Rizal. The Filipino historians – Paul Dumol, Mary Dorothy
Jose, and John Nery – emphasizes the importance of not just knowing Rizal, but also to learn and
understand him outside of his literary works. This documentary aims to introduce the accounts
and the narrative of the life of our national hero to the Filipinos, most especially to the new
generation of Filipinos who are succumb in technology. In addition, the documentary also aims
to answer the question of our past and use it to answer the prevailing challenges that we faced on
the present day.

Young people in today's society may know the significance of Jose Rizal and his
extraordinary heroism. The only thing they know, though, is that he's like one of the other heroes
we know who had been killed for their country. They might even know him because of his
popular literary works, however, they don't know him outside of it, and how and why he became
a hero. One of my reactions to the documentary was the relationship of the line that the actor had
uttered – “Sino ba ako?” – in portrayal of Rizal, and how it is an exceptional question to any
living person today. The question that have been mentioned is the reflection on how Jose Rizal
already knows from the beginning the reason why he is living or basically the purpose of his life,
on how his mind and inner convictions is just waiting for the right time to evoke his timeless
ideas that will later on liberate the Filipino people from Spanish colonization.

John Nery described Rizal’s life experience as somewhat scripted and can only be seen in
television shows or movies. “He was born, got famous in Europe, came back in the Philippines,
then [was] killed” (Nery, 2016, 03:09), his short narrative of what is Rizal’s account is factually
true. Although what John Nery has said is just a statement and an analogy, from there, we can
get the idea that Jose Rizal is a living testament that we are all born to be a hero. It is just in our
hands and how our environment going to mold us to become something that our nation will
benefit from.

Mary Dorothy Jose reiterated that most historians believed that Rizal became the text for
Filipinos who cannot read his literary works that is written in Spanish. It is true, though, that
Rizal, not his literary works, inspired the Filipinos to revolutionize at that time. Through his
works such as poems, novels, and letters, it unveils the true condition or situation of the
Philippine at that time and it paved way for the decisive revolution that results to freedom that
many Filipinos still enjoy today.

Jose Rizal as a brother to his kuya Paciano, as a son, and as a student was also reiterated
in the documentary. His older brother – Paciano Rizal – as stated by Mary Dorothy Jose, was one
of the reasons behind his heroism. Various images of Rizal have been shown to the document
such as how Paciano was his most trusted confidant, and was Paciano’s youngest brother.
Through the final letter that Rizal decided to dedicate to Paciano, the documentary gives a
compelling emotion on how he loves his brother dearly. Further, Paciano was also important to
Rizal’s life as he was the one who influence Rizal, and enlightened him about the social issues
and cruelty of the Spaniards. The heroic deeds and his role on the heroism of Rizal has been well
discussed as well as been given the credit that Paciano deserved. In addition, by showing the
relationship of Paciano and Rizal, I concluded that no man is really an island and there will be
always someone we need to life us up. Paciano symbolizes that someone who will be with us
through thick and thin, and who is ready to sacrifice himself for the betterment of his brother’s
life.

Meanwhile, the documentary also shows how Rizal was a good son to Don Francisco and
Doña Teodora. By dramatization, we saw the loving family of Rizal when they met up at Hong
Kong in 1891; it is even said that this moment was both the happiest and painful time of his life.
This is for the reason that he saw how happy his father is but, also saw the struggle that his
family is experiencing due to his actions.

Further, Jose Rizal as a role model student in Madrid, was also tackled in the
documentary. It was also shown how Rizal saw his fellow Filipinos and described them as
aimless and have not yet experienced pain. Rizal was mad that they woke up first thing in the
morning and decided not to go to school, instead they gamble in the afternoon and in the evening
they go for the prostitutes. Here, he asked how Spaniards will respect Filipinos when they do not
even respect themselves. My initial reaction in here is that it is true that Spaniards will not show
them respect unless they saw that they are worthy of it. What they showed in Spain can be what
the initial description of them by the Spaniards as they are not representing themselves, nor their
families, but the entire nation.

Moreover, the creator of the documentary should have included what letter or literary
work does the actor pertains to so that the audiences are aware what it is and they can ready the
whole thing after they watched the documentary video.

Overall, there is a big contribution on how the documentary creatively narrate, analyze
and interpreted the literary works and letters of Rizal to show how he is not just simply a hero to
all Filipinos, but also a kind person to individuals he helped, a good son and brother to his
family, and a brilliant student of his time. Jose Rizal lived his life to the fullest by sacrificing his
life to drive changed and goodness in everyone around him. In addition, it is also recommended
for young people to watched this documentary especially in our time now where fake news at
misleading historical information are everywhere. It is in my best belief and hope that more
project of this kind from NHCP and other film productions are to be produced in the future
towards the critical and significance study of not just the accounts and lives of our heroes but
also our entire history.

Bibliography:

Ladanga, M. (Director). (2016). JOSÉ RIZAL: Sa Landas ng Paglaya [Video

Documentary].