Lakbay Jose Rizal

To be a pilgrim for the Lakbay Jose Rizal project is one of the things I really want to do this year. In line Jose P. Rizal's 150th birthday anniversary, the National Commission for Culture and Arts in coordination with several government agencies is encouraging Filipinos and foreigners to travel the way our national hero traveled around the Philippines.

To participate, just visit the sites listed on the brochure spread and have it stamped as proof of your visit. The first 100 pilgrims who have visited all the Rizal sites with proof of the complete stamps can present it to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to win a token and an official Kalakbay ni Gat Jose Rizal certificate.

For more details, go here

PhotoHunt#58 Words

What would happen to the world if there are no words to communicate with? Sure, we can show by acting or sign language but it would take a long time and would be prone to misinterpretations. Words are very important in our daily lives and yet we take them for granted. They can inform and amuse, remind us of possible danger, and even tell us an interesting story.


This is the Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell) of our national hero, Jose P. Rizal. He did this poem on the eve of his execution on December 30, 1986. The poem talked beautifully about the national hero's love of his country and his willingness to die for it. It is a required reading for high school and college students in the Philippines. It was originally untitled when found inside the small alcohol stove that Dr. Rizal has been using while in jail. Eventually, it was entitled "Mi Ultimo Adios" by his friend, Mariano Ponce.

After the Spanish-American War, the poem was recited by then U.S. representative Henry Cooper who was lobbying for the Philippine's self-governance before the House of the U.S. Representatives (wikipedia).

This is my entry for:

For more photohunters, go here.

The other sides of Rizal

I recently bought a book entitled Rizal Without the Overcoat, a very interesting book about Rizal by well-respected historian, teacher and Philippine Inquirer columnist, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo. To commemorate Jose Rizal’s 147^th birthday, here are some interesting facts taken from the book about our national hero that somehow made him more human and “reachable”:

1. Rizal’s usual breakfast fare is rice, sardinas secas or tuyo and a cup of hot chocolate.
2. Segunda Katigbak was Rizal’s first love and Rizal’s last love was Josephine Bracken.
3. Josephine Bracken was an illegitimate child of an Irishman and an unknown Chinese mother..
4. Jose Rizal was already considered a hero by the Filipinos long before he was executed as evidenced by:
• Bonifacio’s declaration of him as honorary President of Katipunan.

• In 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo declared December 30 an annual “day of national mourning” in honor of Rizal.

5. Rizal was stingy (kuripot) and was not afraid to show it although he was not adverse to indulge from time to time.
6. Rizal was known to be a good cook and his specialty was “pancit”.
7. Rizal’s elder brother, Paciano Rizal, was a general in the Philippine Revolution and was instrumental in sending Jose Rizal to Europe to avoid persecution by the Spanish government in the Philippines.
8. Jose Rizal and his brother, Paciano, had a secret pact to dedicate themselves to helping the country and agreed that only one of them could get married
9. Jose Rizal could’ve married his cousin-fiancee, Leonora Rivera, if not for the interference done by Rivera’s parents.
10. We could’ve lost one or two Philippine heroes had Jose Rizal and Antonio Luna pushed through with their duel in Paris. The reason for their quarrel was Nelly Boustead, a pretty mestiza they were both courting.

There are more inside stories about Rizal in the said book and all of them are very informative and interesting; also, the book confirmed the fact that our national hero is indeed a multi-talented man. It is a must read for every Filipino.

Philippine Connection Tuesday Q

If anybody wants to connect with other Pinoys from all over the world, this yahoo group is it. It is relatively new but let’s make it grow. Here’s their link http://groups.yahoo.com/group/philippineconnections/

Here’re the questions from our group’s late Tuesday Q’s:

1. Aside from the National Anthem, do you know any other "nationalistic" song?
What is it?

Bayan Ko, Ako ay Pilipino, Dugong Pilipino, Magkaisa, Handog ng Pilipino

2. The Philippines was colonized by the Spanish in the 1500s and then by the
Americans and Japanese in the 1900s. In your opinion/observation, what do you think were the best/ most important legacies the Philippines earned from these occupations?

Spain – Religion, America – Democracy, Japan – Asia’s potential to be a powerful world player and love of country

However, before we were colonized by these countries centuries ago, our forefathers have already their own religion, written and spoken language, art, culture and tradition, government, knowledge and values. So, the only legacy the said countries have passed on to us is to make us more fragmented and make us feel more inferior. (I’ve been wondering if there’s some connection why we are a nation crazy for whitening lotions, whitening soaps, whitening underarm deodorant, whitening..whitening…whitening..)

3. Who is your favorite Philippine national hero?

I am for Andres Bonifacio. Yes, I admire Dr. Jose Rizal but he was more for the passive stance when what was already called for was to take active participation in fighting for our country’s freedom. It was a sad irony in the Philippine history that Andres Bonifacio and his brother died in the hands of his countrymen, the very people he was fighting for.

4. What is your stand re: the debate between June 12 vs July 4 as the
official Independence day date?

June 12. That's the date Aguinaldo declared independence for the
Philippines. July 4 is the date that US government officially recognized and declared Philippines’ Independence (and I couldn’t care less for that).

5. Who do you think is the next big threat to our country's freedom, if ever?
Too many to think of, but the most basic ones are overpopulation and poverty. With it, the nation’s development is painfully constrained and easily abused and used by unscrupulous, soulless politician-crocs disguising as statesmen who sell their greedy souls to any foreign highest bidder for huge kickbacks.