Aljan Abeleda Pagilagan Readings on Philippines History

BSHM-1 September 23, 2018

Sa Aking Mga Kabata
Dr. José Rizal

Kapagka ang baya’y sadyang umiibig

Sa kanyang salitang kaloob ng langit,
Sanlang kalayaan nasa ring masapit
Katulad ng ibong nasa himpapawid.

Pagka’t ang salita’y isang kahatulan

Sa bayan, sa nayo’t mga kaharian,
At ang isang tao’y katulad, kabagay
Ng alin mang likha noong kalayaan.

Ang hindi magmahal sa kanyang salita

Mahigit sa hayop at malansang isda,
Kaya ang marapat pagyamaning kusa
Na tulad sa inang tunay na nagpala.

Ang wikang Tagalog tulad din sa Latin

Sa Ingles, Kastila at salitang anghel,
Sapagka’t ang Poong maalam tumingin
Ang siyang naggawad, nagbigay sa atin.

Ang salita nati’y huwad din sa iba

Na may alfabeto at sariling letra,
Na kaya nawala’y dinatnan ng sigwa
Ang lunday sa lawa noong dakong una.
Aljan Abeleda Pagilagan Readings on Philippines History
BSHM-1 September 23, 2018
To the Virgin Mary
Dr. José Rizal

Mary, sweet peace and dearest consolation

of suffering mortal: you are the fount whence springs
the current of solicitude that brings
unto our soil unceasing fecundation.

From your abode, enthroned on heaven's height,

in mercy deign to hear my cry of woe
and to the radiance of your mantle draw
my voice that rises with so swift a flight.

You are my mother, Mary, and shall be

my life, my stronghold, my defense most thorough;
and you shall be my guide on this wild sea.
If vice pursues me madly on the morrow,
if death harasses me with agony:
come to my aid and dissipate my sorrow!
Aljan Abeleda Pagilagan Readings on Philippines History
BSHM-1 September 23, 2018
I. Sa Aking mga Kabata (Explanation)

In the first stanza Rizal already shows the importance and value of one’s
mother tongue. The verse also emphasizes that if the society loves their native
language, Dr. Jose Rizal compared to them as a free bird roaming around in the vast
and beautiful sky.

The second stanza shows the idea of language as people born from freedom.
Even before Jose Rizal was born we were slaves of the Spaniards. He believes that by
using the native language, it would also be a symbol of freedom and identity.

The third stanza is where Rizal wrote his famous quote “He who does not love
his own language is worse than an animal and smelly fish”. He adds that the Filipinos
should work in unity to make the native tongue richer, like a child that needs her
mother’s care.

In the fourth stanza shows that the Tagalog language is not inferior and equal
in rank as Spanish, English and even the angel’s language. It should not be compared
lower to other languages, because it is God who gave us this gift as he did for other
nations.

The last line speaks of Baybayin, the old Filipino alphabet. The way it curves
and the elements are unique like other letters; this proves that we, the Filipinos had
our own unique letters/characters like other languages. However, it is toppled by giant
waves, like brittle boats in the vast ocean.

II. Kay Birhen Maria (A la Virgen Maria Explanation)

The first four lines are evident that Dr. Jose Rizal praises the Virgin Mary,
the source of prosperity. He says that without the help of Mother Mary no man
can prosper.
The next four lines are more obvious. He prays to the Virgin Mary to hear
his plea, with the sense of passion and desperation. The firmness of the words he
says to reach the Virgin Mary seeking response to his sorrowful feelings.
The last stanza indicates a prayer of supplication, as if Dr. Jose Rizal
predicted he would have a rough future ahead of him.
Aljan Abeleda Pagilagan Readings on Philippines History
BSHM-1 September 23, 2018
III. Accomplishments of Andres Bonifacio and Dr. Jose Rizal

Dr. Jose Rizal is part of a rich family, he is a well-educated man. At a young

age he was taught by his mother and later by tutors. With the help of his brother
Pciano, he attended the school of Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz and was
considered intellectually superior among the students. He was also a student at
Ateneo Municipal de Manila and part of the Academy of Spanish Literature and the
Academy of Natural Science, and graduated as one of the nine students
acknowledged as sobresaliente (outstanding). He continued his studies at the
University of Sto. Tomas in Manila, and studied Philosophy and Letters but later
shifted to Medicine specializing in Ophthalmology, when he knew his mother was
going blind. After finishing fourth year of his medical course, Rizal decided to study
in Spain to continue his medical advocate and finished with a degree Licentiate in
Medicine. He also earned his second doctorate, Inducted as a member of the Berlin
Ethnological Society and the Berlin Anthropological Society under the patronage of
the famous pathologist Rudolf Virchow, 25-year-old Rizal completed in 1887 his eye
specialization under the renowned Prof. Otto Becker in Heidelberg.
Jose Rizal lived in Europe for 10 years; He could converse in more than 10
different tongues. Excelled at martial arts, fencing, sculpture, painting, teaching,
anthropology, and journalism, among other things. During his European sojourn, he
also began to write novels. Rizal finished his first book, Noli Me Tangere, and was
followed by El Filibusterismo. Jose Rizal fought for our freedom using his pen and
words as swords until his execution on 1896.
Andres Bonifacio was not part of a rich and prominent family unlike Dr. Jose
Rizal. His father was a tailor, local politician and a boat man operating river ferries.
His mother works in cigarette-rolling factories. In 1881 his mother died due to
tuberculosis, the following year Bonifacio also witnessed his father’s death. At the
age of 19, he was forced to give up his pursue on higher education and began full
time work to support his younger siblings.
In 1892, Bonifacio joined Jose Rizal's new organization La Liga Filipina,
which called for reform of the Spanish colonial regime in the Philippines. They only
met once, since Spanish officials arrested Rizal immediately after the first meeting
and deported him Mindanao. After Rizal's arrest and deportation, Andres Bonifacio
and others revived La Liga to continue pressure on the Spanish government to free
the Philippines. Along with his friends Ladislao Diwa and Teodoro Plata, however,
he also founded the Katipunan. KKK was a dedicated group of armed resistance
against the Spanish Government, made up mostly of people from the middle and
lower classes, the Katipunan organization soon established regional branches in a
number of provinces across the Philippines. Bonifacio was important because of his
tactical skills; he led some battles personally, and planned others from afar. He also
commissioned the first Philippine national anthem and became a de facto leader of
Aljan Abeleda Pagilagan Readings on Philippines History
BSHM-1 September 23, 2018
the revolution for a while. Unlike Rizal, Bonifacio resorts for violence and armed
interventions with the Colonial Government. Today, he is remembered as a national
hero, and some historians see him as the first president, due to his role in the
revolutionary government.

Sources:
Szczepanski, K. (2018) ThoughtCo. “Andres Bonifacio of the Philippines” retrieve
fromhttps://www.thoughtco.com/andres-bonifacio-of-the-philippines-195651
Anonymous “Philippine Revolution” retrieve from
https://study.com/academy/answer/what-are-the-contributions-and-accomplishments-of-andres-
bonifacio.html
http://thelifeandworksofrizal.blogspot.com/2012/01/interpretation-sa-aking-mga-
kababata.html