Plea to the Government

A Plea to the Government

He thought outside of the box, he was a game changer, his mind was more advanced compared with others and he fought peacefully with the use of his writings, he was an essayist, diarist, and a novelist, he is no other than, Dr. José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda, or Pepe as he was called at home.

Rizal is a nonviolent individual, a proprietor of peace, maybe. His advocacy was to have reform and change through composed means, as he was addressing this call to the government back then (Spaniards ruling in the Philippines for over 333 years (1565-1898)). He was never of the same opinion as those of the Katipuneros nor of the Spaniards nor of Pio Valenzuela’s. He thought before he acted, he thought carefully with the notion of dissecting each and every consequence. He believed in the importance and power of education, of learning, and of intellect.

At exactly 7:03 o’ clock in the morning, on the 30th day of December, 1896, Rizal fell on the ground facing the sun, perhaps catching his last breath, and may be hearing cheers from the audience around saying ‘Viva Hispanya’ out loud and applauding. Indeed, Rizal met our Creator after the court’s verdict involving his case.

As the firing of the guns silenced the surroundings, the mourning of the Filipinos present in Bagumbayan was heard, their cries were noticed, and the Katipuneros’ anger sprung out, bursted, leading them into a violent encounter with the opponent. They may have killed hundreds, or maybe thousands; they may have captured and arrested the Friars; and they may have attained liberty in the next two years, but the question is, is this what Rizal wanted?

If we were to go through the whole life of Rizal, the answer to that question would cite us evidences, that his advocacy? It was NOT FULFILLED. First is because, he was in peaceful revolution, and the Katipuneros understanding and means of revenge was way out of boundary when we speak of harmony. Second is, Rizal only wanted these conditions: 1. That the Philippines be a province or region of the Mother land, Spain, 2. Filipino representative in the court, 3.Filipino priests instead of Spanish friars (Augustinians, Dominicans, and Franciscans) in parishes and remote areas, 4. Freedom of congregation and speech (mass media), and 5. Equal rights for both Filipinos and Spaniards before the law. He did not request for liberty from the Mother Land, freedom is not part of his schema, attaining independence was just a plus, a hand-out, and an additional benefit. These may be just petty comparisons and I believe that Rizal had more specifications of what he really wanted which were not fulfilled especially after his death. But then again, everything happens for a reason, his life was given up for the sake of many, he was the sacrificial lamb who was offered and brought advantage to almost all of us. If Rizal if listening from heaven, I want him to know that though the reforms he wanted were not carried out, the after effect was much better, and until now, we are enjoying part of his selflessness to die for our country.