Juan Miguel R.

Garcia

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RIZAL SA DAPITAN

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And what a fantastic life Jose Rizal led. In viewing the film Rizal sa Dapitan, I
was reminded of how Jose Rizal's life and writings can and should serve as an example
for all of us. He inspires us to work hard and be diligent, even if we don't always do what
he does. It astounds me that Rizal was able to accomplish so much in exile, considering
that he accepted being transferred to Dapitan like a prisoner. He organized a
cooperative to help the poor of Mindanao become less reliant on Chinese aid while still
in exile. Although many people would have given up or panicked after being exiled,
Jose Rizal instead continued to serve his country. This sets Jose Rizal apart from all
previous national heroes. When it came to getting things done, he was the model. For
him, it was always about the team, not about himself.

The movie portrays Rizal as content with his rural upbringing. Everyone in
Dapitan held him in the highest esteem. The kids were all fired up to follow him, listened
to him, and did what he said. Dr. Rizal has my utmost admiration for being able to
provide free care to his low-income patients during an era when medical resources were
at scarce. Town wide utilities like water and electricity were considerably enhanced by
his labors. He established himself in Dapitan as a farmer, businessman, scientist, and
an inventor, although his situation was improving, Rizal still needed to be wary of his
adversaries.

Jose Rizal was a doer, not a watcher or commander; he helped improve the lives
of his fellow citizens. Despite his intelligence, Rizal never let it get the better of him. I
really wish Rizal was here so I could praise the tree he planted and tell him how much it
means to me. Clearly, Rizal was a nationalist and patriot who had a genuine concern for
the well-being of his fellow countrymen and would have been horrified by the sight of
any form of injustice or exploitation. Observing our hero's exile in Dapitan would be
fascinating. Our celebration of Rizal's 143rd birthday was held on June 19 of this year.
That's the equivalent of two normal life spans for a Filipino. But it's not, when you think
about the baluno tree he planted and nurtured, which is still thriving today as our living
link to him, and when you think about the issues he cared about, such as health,
education, poverty, and inequality, which persist in our world today. It would be an
honor to learn more about our hero. Rizal sa Dapitan did a fantastic job of depicting
Rizal's time spent in Dapitan as a desterado. In spite of his confinement, he found ways
to pursue his passions, including teaching young people and instructing young men in
the martial art of Arnis. How Rizal conducted himself around Josephine Bracken is
indicative of his gentlemanly nature. A guy who introduced himself as Pablo Mercado
and claimed to be related to Rizal has caused quite a stir. His real name was Florencio
Namahan, and he was a spy. Because of its embellishments, the film is not an authentic
depiction of Rizal's life. All of Rizal's life outside of Dapitan was left out of the film. No
footage of his final days exists. At the film's conclusion, a short piece of writing was
shown regarding Rizal's passing. But as we can see, Rizal kept working toward his
goals for the Philippines until the day he died. After careful consideration, I have
concluded that Rizal was more than a propagandist. Absolutely, he deserves the title of
hero.