Full Name: Rhoda Joy C.

Amora
Degree Program/Course & Year Level: BSEd English 3
Section: A

Exercise 1.2
Understanding The 19th Century Philippines
(Through Film Viewing and Reflection Paper)

Title of the Film: “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?”

Guide questions:

1. Describe the 19th century Philippines as represented in the film

2. Based on your reading & class discussion, what can you say about the film’s
representation of the 19th century?
3. What is the main or central question that the film seeks to answer?
4. What is your own reflection based on the film & your understanding?

Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?

(Reflection)

The film “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?” directed by Eddie Romero was a
brilliant masterpiece ahead of its time. It navigated us to the situation of the 19 th century when
Filipinos and the Philippines exhibit a lot of differences compared to the present era. 19 th
century Philippines’ situation was somewhat perplexing. There are Filipinos from the
countryside who gets to live an indigenous life and people are called “Indio”. There are people
living in Manila who enjoys a bit more indulgence than those from the countryside. Yet, those
with different nationalities were considered Filipinos. However, people from different places and
situations were brutally cruel. It’s easy for them to arrest, torture, and even kill someone without
fair judgment. Moreover, the rich always have the privilege while the poor, on the one hand, get
to suffer. It’s as if they always carry the fear whenever unfamiliar people come to their place
because they believe that it a sign of danger and harm. Living in the Philippines during the 19 th
century gave me the impression of danger at all times no matter where you are located.
 The film’s representation of the 19th century is not unfamiliar and new to me as histories
included in the educational curriculum ever since my primary education always provide lessons
that gave me picturesque of what it’s like to be a Filipino for that certain era. The film shows old
Catholic churches influenced by the Spaniards, the situations of urbanized and non-urbanized
Filipinos, their mode of transportation using either kalesa or horses alone, their forms of
entertainment which include watching zarzuela or performances conducted in theaters, their
wardrobes, the variety of language and dialects they use, and the way they deal with crimes and
misconduct, etc. Everything that was shown in the film, I believe, was based on facts. However,
there are several situations that are disturbing and troubling just like how Rizal pictured in his
novels the circumstances that Filipinos had gone through during that certain period of time.
Defining what it is to be a Filipino is the film's main or central question. It shows how
Filipinos battled to define their own identity during the course of time when the Philippine islands
shifted from Spanish to American colonial rule. Aside from that, the film was able to discuss
societal problems that were prevalent at the time, such as the abuse and mistreatment of
Filipinos by Spaniards, the inadequate education of Filipinos living in barrios and provinces, and
most especially, the quest to define one's identity as a Filipino.
The genuine identity of Filipinos is mostly misunderstood during the duration of the
movie. Knowing that they had trouble identifying themselves and that they had different
conceptions of what it meant to be a Filipino astonished me. Nicolas Ocampo, also known as
Kulas, the movie's main character, frequently ran across instances where the word "Filipino"
was defined differently by other people. After his mother passed away, Kulas was able to
encounter individuals with a variety of characteristics on his journey from the province up to the
time that he and a boy named Bindoy stepped foot in Manila. Father Gil Corcuera, Bindoy’s
biological father, described "Filipinos" as the Spaniards who reside in the Philippines in the first
section of the movie. Lim, a Chinese businessman whom Kulas became friends with, also refers
to the Spaniards residing in the Philippines as Filipinos. Don Tibor, Father Gil’s trusted lawyer,
however, believes that Filipinos are those who are willing to accept responsibility. But as the
film’s end was approaching, Kulas came to understand the genuine significance of being a
Filipino through all of these meetings. Kulas came to the conclusion that being a Filipino meant
accepting responsibility for the defense of our nation, along with the culture and traditions that
are unique to it, and that being Filipino is not just about being born in the Philippines.
The film's other concept that I loved was how Kulas' degree of happiness diminished
during the course of his adventure. Not that I am happy with the character’s misery but his
situations enlighten the reality of life. Kulas continued his uncertain journey, learning new things
about the world as he went. Kulas seems to be a happy-go-lucky person at the beginning of the
movie despite having suffered a lot of losses. He exudes a lot of optimism and positive energy
that even in the worst situation, he still has the energy to smile and laugh it off. The spark in his
eyes, however, diminished as he made an effort to learn more and integrate himself into the
new atmosphere when he resided in Manila. Adding to that misery was the unrequited love he
had for a woman named “Diding”. Diding never loved Kulas the way he loved her. She toyed
with him and his feelings and that honestly annoyed me while I was watching. Going back to the
topic regarding Kulas’ endeavors, his stay in Manila made him begin to doubt who he was at the
moment. This resonates with me since, for the past couple of years, I am confused about what I
wanted to become. I am troubled by the identity I want to establish for myself. When I was
younger, I wasn't exposed to the real status of our society, especially during the early years of
my education. I'm a student like everyone else, waiting in the corner for something to happen.
Full of cheerfulness and not exposed to worse situations that are about to unfold. I didn't start
seeing the environment from a different angle until I became a young adult. I became aware that
there is more to discover in this world after meeting and interacting with new people with various
mindsets. I also began setting goals other than simply being content with what I have. With all of
these things shifting in front of my eyes, I scrutinized and concluded that the more you
understand how society functions, the more apparent it becomes that it is a really harsh place to
live.
While watching this classic movie, I learned a lot and had a great time. The morals we
may take away from this movie are timeless. Knowing that our ancestors fought to free this
country from the control of our invaders makes being a Filipino such a joy. The ancestors who
came before us enabled the independence we have today. We are able to take advantage of
the freedom they fought for thanks to their unwavering devotion to this nation.