“Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?

REFLECTION
PAPER

CHARL ISAR RONELL F. VILLENA

BSA 2A
LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL
 “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?”
"Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?" is a movie, a great masterwork that
was created before its time, was directed by Eddie Romero. It shows how Filipinos
battled to define their own identity when the Philippine islands switched from Spanish to
American colonial rule. The movie was able to highlight social concerns 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 the provinces, and the fight of the
Filipino people to establish their own identity.
The exact identity of Filipinos is frequently unclear in the course of the movie.
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 trip into the unknown. Father Gil Corcuera defined the term
"Filipino" as the Spaniards who reside in the Philippines in the first section of the movie.
Lim, a Chinese businessman, also refers to the Spaniards residing in this nation as
Filipinos. Don Tibor, however, believes that Filipinos are those who are willing to accept
responsibility. Kulas came to understand the genuine significance of being a Filipino via
all of these meetings. Kulas came to the conclusion that being a Filipino implies
accepting responsibility for defending this nation, along with the culture and traditions
unique to it. Being a Filipino is not just about being born in the Philippines.
The other idea in this film that I loved was how Kulas' level of happiness
diminished during the course of his voyage. 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. The spark in
his eyes, however, diminished as he made an effort to learn more and integrate himself
into the new atmosphere. He began to doubt who he was at the moment. This resonates
with me since I once wanted to rule the world as a young adult. I wasn't exposed to the
real status of our society during the early years of my education. I'm a student like
everyone else, waiting in the corner for something to happen. I didn't start seeing the
environment from a different angle until rather late in the game. 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 came to the conclusion that
the more you understand how society functions, the more apparent it becomes that it is a
really harsh place to live.
I had a great time and learned a lot while watching this classic movie. 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 folks 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 for this nation.