Lessons from Rizal’s Life Not Lost on the Filipino Youth
Lessons from Rizal’s life not lost on the Filipino youth
By Desiree Caluza
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 02:42:00 12/30/2010
Filed Under: Jose Rizal, Youth, Philippines - Regions, Advice
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—If there is one thing that Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero, had contributed to the consciousness of the Filipino youth, his passion in fighting social ills in the country would stand out.
High-school and college students who gathered in this city recently for a leadership training agreed that Rizal’s life would guide young Filipinos in improving their society.
“What do high-school and college students remember from ‘Noli Me Tangere’ and ‘El Filibusterismo?’ The deranged Sisa? Or the tragic love story of Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra? Much more important than these trivialities, though, is the ‘social cancer’ that Jose Rizal wanted to expose in his writings,” said Marvin Boñaga, 21, a nursing student who joined an oratorical contest during the 48th National Youth Leadership Institute Conference (NRYLI) at Teachers’ Camp here.
“Yesterday, the perpetrators were the robbers in robes, abusive ‘guardia civil’ and corrupt town officials. Today, the cancer has spread and is fed by dishonest government officials and people who are too indifferent to care about the [affairs of the] state,” he said.
Beyond textbooks
Boñaga challenged the 400 participants in the annual leadership conference to go beyond their textbooks and follow Rizal’s lead to stand up against wrongdoing.
Another conference participant, Ynnab-Raine Manginsay, 20, said knowing Rizal through classroom discussions and studying his life was not enough.
“Rizal has always been a very good role model and inspiration. We are encouraged to be the new Rizals to create change by being good leaders in our community. For us, corruption is still the main problem in the country. We should [stop] it,” said Manginsay, a student of Universidad de Sta. Isabel in Naga City.
Organized by the
By Desiree Caluza
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 02:42:00 12/30/2010
Filed Under: Jose Rizal, Youth, Philippines - Regions, Advice
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines—If there is one thing that Dr. Jose Rizal, the national hero, had contributed to the consciousness of the Filipino youth, his passion in fighting social ills in the country would stand out.
High-school and college students who gathered in this city recently for a leadership training agreed that Rizal’s life would guide young Filipinos in improving their society.
“What do high-school and college students remember from ‘Noli Me Tangere’ and ‘El Filibusterismo?’ The deranged Sisa? Or the tragic love story of Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra? Much more important than these trivialities, though, is the ‘social cancer’ that Jose Rizal wanted to expose in his writings,” said Marvin Boñaga, 21, a nursing student who joined an oratorical contest during the 48th National Youth Leadership Institute Conference (NRYLI) at Teachers’ Camp here.
“Yesterday, the perpetrators were the robbers in robes, abusive ‘guardia civil’ and corrupt town officials. Today, the cancer has spread and is fed by dishonest government officials and people who are too indifferent to care about the [affairs of the] state,” he said.
Beyond textbooks
Boñaga challenged the 400 participants in the annual leadership conference to go beyond their textbooks and follow Rizal’s lead to stand up against wrongdoing.
Another conference participant, Ynnab-Raine Manginsay, 20, said knowing Rizal through classroom discussions and studying his life was not enough.
“Rizal has always been a very good role model and inspiration. We are encouraged to be the new Rizals to create change by being good leaders in our community. For us, corruption is still the main problem in the country. We should [stop] it,” said Manginsay, a student of Universidad de Sta. Isabel in Naga City.
Organized by the