English Version: To the Young Women of Malolos

Buod: Sa kanyang liham sa mga kadalagahan ng Malolos na sinulat noog 1889, ipinahahayag ni Jose Rizal ang kanyang papuri at paggalang sa katapangang ipinamalas ng mga ito sa pagsusulong ng karapatan sa edukasyon – isang di-karaniwang hakbang para sa maraming kababaihan sa kanyang panahon. Ayon kay Rizal , namulat siya sa pananaw na ang kababaihang Pilipino ay katuwang sa layunin para sa ikagagaling ng bayan. Batay sa kanya, ang mithiin ng mga kadalagahan ng Malolos para sa karunungan ay patunay ng pagkamulat sa tunay na kahulugan ng kabanalan – kabanalang nakatuon sa kabutihang-asal, malinis na kalooban at matuwid na pag-iisip. Binibigyang-diin ni Rizal ang tungkulin ng kababaihan – bilang dalaga at asawa – sa pagbangon ng kanilang dignidad at halaga sa lipunan. Kaugnay nito, inilalarawan niya ang katangian ng kababaihan sa Europa at bilang halimbawa ay pinakita ang babaing Sparta bilang huwaran ng pagiging mabuting ina. Ipinapayo ni Rizal na gamitin ang halimbawang ito upang maitaguyod ang isang anak na marangal at magtatanggol sa bayan. Bahagi rin ng liham ang pagpapaalala ni Rizal sa lahat na gamitin ang isipang kaloob ng Diyos, upang matukoy ang katotohanan at hindi maging alipin ninuman. Pinupuna ang mga hindi kanais-nais na gawain ng mga prayle, gayundin ang pagiging mulat ukol sa tunay at huwad na relihiyon. Ang payo ni Rizal ay “mulatin ang mata ñg anak sa pag-iiñgat at pagmamahal sa puri, pag-ibig sa kapwa sa tinubuang bayan, at sa pagtupad ñg ukol. Ulit-uuliting matamisin ang mapuring kamatayan sa alipustang buhay”.

Mga Tala: Ika-17 ng Pebrero 1889 nang isulat ni Jose Rizal – gamit ang wikang Tagalog – ang liham na ito habang ginagawa ang anotasyon sa aklat ni Morga. Isinulat niya ito sa London, limang araw matapos ipaalam sa kanya ni Marcelo H. del Pilar ang isang mahalagang pangyayari sa bayan ng Malolos. Ayon sa pagsasalaysay, ika-12 ng Disyembre 1888 nang may 20 kadalagahan ng Malolos ang naghain ng petisyon kay Gobernador-Heneral Weyler upang magtayo ng isang “panggabing paaralan.” Layunin nila na mag-aral ng wikang Español sa ilalim ni Teodoro Sandiko, isang propesor sa Latin. Gayunpaman, hindi sinang-ayunan ni Padre Felipe Garcia, ang kura paroko, ang petisyon. Naging dahilan ito upang hindi rin pumayag ang gobernador-heneral na maitatag ang paaralan. Sa kabila ng pagtutol, hindi dagliang sumuko ang mga kadalagahan sa kanilang layunin. Patuloy silang nanawagan at nang lumaon, pumayag na rin ang pamahalaan na maitatag ang paaralan, bagama’t tumagal lamang ito ng tatlong buwan. Si Señora Guadalupe Reyes ang nagsilbing guro ng mga kadalagahan.

Europa Pebrero 1889

SA MGA KABABAYANG DALAGA SA MALOLOS:

Nang aking sulatin ang Noli Me Tangere, tinanong kong laon, kung ang pusuang dalaga’y karaniwan kaya diyan sa ating bayan. Matay ko mang sinaliksik yaring alaala; matay ko mang pinagisa-ngisa ang lahat ñg dalagang makilala sapul sa pagkabatá, ay mañgisa-ñgisa lamang ang sumaguing larawang aking ninanasá. Tunay at labis ang matamis na loob, ang magandang ugalí, ang binibining anyó, ang mahinhing asal; ñgunit ang lahat na ito’y laguing nahahaluan ñg lubos na pagsuyó at pagsunod sa balang sabi ó hiling nang nagñgañgalang amang kalulua (tila baga ang kaluluwa’y may iba pang ama sa Dios,) dala ñg malabis na kabaitan, kababaan ñg loob ó kamangmañgan kayá: anaki’y mga lantang halaman, sibul at laki sa dilim; mamulaklak ma’y walang bañgo, magbuñga ma’y walang katas.

Ñguní at ñgayong dumating ang balitang sa inyong bayang Malolos (=Malolos, Bulacan), napagkilala kong ako’y namalí, at ang tuá ko’y labis. Dí sukat ako sisihin, dí ko kilala ang Malolos, ni ang mga dalaga,liban sa isang Emilia, at ito pa’y sa ñgalan lamang.

Ñgayong tumugon kayo sa uhaw naming sigaw ñg ikagagaling ñg bayan; ñgayong nagpakita kayo ñg mabuting halimbawa sa kapuá dalagang nagnanasang paris ninyong mamulat ang mata at mahañgo sa pagkalugamí, sumisigla ang aming pag-asa, inaaglahì ang sakuná, sa pagka at kayo’y katulong na namin, panatag ang loob sapagtatagumpay. Ang babaing tagalog ay di na payukó at luhod, buhay na ang pagasa sa panahong sasapit; walá na ang inang katulong sa pagbulag sa anak na palalakhin sa alipustá at pagayop. Di na unang karunuñgan ang patuñgó ñg ulo sa balang maling utos, dakilang kabaitan ang ñgisi sa pagmura, masayang pangaliw ang mababang luhá. Napagkilala din ninyo na ang utos ñg Dios ay iba sa utos ñg Parí, na ang kabanalan ay hindi ang matagal na luhod, mahabang dasal, malalaking kuentas, libaguing kalmin, kundí ang mabuting asal, malinis na loob at matuid na isip. Napagkilala din ninyo na dí kabaitan ang pagkamasunurin sa ano mang pita at hiling ñg nagdidiosdiosan, kundi ang pagsunod sa katampata’t matuid, sapagka’t ang bulag na pagsunod ay siyang pinagmumulan ñg likong paguutos, at sa bagay na ito’y pawang nagkakasala. Dí masasabi ñg punó ó parí na sila lamang ang mananagot ñg maling utos; binigyan ñg Dios ang bawat isa ñg sariling isip at sariling loob, upang ding mapagkilala ang likó at tapat; paraparang inianak ñg walang tanikalá, kundí malayá, at sa loob at kalulua’y walang makasusupil, bakit kayá ipaaalipin mo sa iba ang marañgal at malayang pagiisip? Duag at malí ang akalá na ang bulag na pagsunod ay kabanalan, at kapalaluan ang mag isipisip at magnilay nilay. Ang kamangmañgan’y, kamangmañgan at dí kabaita’t puri. Di hiling ñg Dios, punó ñg kataruñgan, na ang taong larawan niya’y paulol at pabulag; ang hiyas ñgisip, na ipinalamuti sa atin, paningniñgin at gamitin. Halimbawá baga ang isang amang nagbigay sa bawat isang anak ñg kanikanyang tanglaw sa paglakad sa dilim. Paniñgasin nila ang liwanag ñg ilaw, alagaang kusá at huag patain, dala ñg pag-asa sa ilaw ñg iba, kundí magtulongtulong magsangunian, sa paghanap ñg daan. Ulol na di hamak at masisisi ang madapá sa pagsunod sa ilaw ñg iba, at masasabi ng ama: “bakit kita binigyan ng sarili mong ilaw?” Ñguni’t dí lubhang masisisi ang madapá sa sariling tanglaw, sapagka’t marahil ang ilaw ay madilim, ó kayá ay totoong masamá ang daan.

Ugaling panagot ng mga may ibig mang ulol, ay: palaló ang katiwalá sa sariling bait; sa akalá ko ay lalong palaló ang ibig sumupil ng bait ng iba, at papanatilihin sa lahat ang sarili. Lalong palaló ang nagdidiosdiosan, ang ibig tumarok ng balang kilos ng isip ng DIOS; at sakdal kapalaluan ó kataksilan ang walang gawá kundí pagbintañgan ang Dios ng balang bukang bibig at ilipat sa kanya ang balá niyang nasá, at ang sariling kaaway ay gawing kaaway ng Dios. Dí dapat naman tayong umasa sa sarili lamang; kundí magtanong,makinig sa iba, at saka gawain ang inaakalang lalong matuid; ang habito ó sutana’y walang naidaragdag sa dunong ng tao; magsapinsapin man ang habito ng huli sa bundok, ay bulubundukin din at walang nadadayá kungdí ang mangmang at mahinang loob. Nang ito’y lalong maranasan, ay bumili kayo ng isang habito sa S. Francisco at isoot ninyo sa isang kalabao. Kapalaran na kung pagka pag habito ay hindí magtamad. Lisanin ko ito at dalhin ang salitá sa iba.

Sa kadalagahang punlaan ng bulaklak na mamumuñga’y dapat ang babai’y magtipon ng yamang maipamamana sa lalaking anak. Ano kaya ang magiging supling ng babaing walang kabanalan kundí ang magbubulong ng dasal, walang karunuñgan kungdí awit, novena at milagrong pangulol sa tao, walang libañgang iba sa panguingue ó magkumpisal kayá ng malimit ng muli’t muling kasalanan? Ano ang magiging anak kundí sakristan, bataan ng cura ó magsasabong? Gawá ng mga ina ang kalugamian ngayon ng ating mga kababayan, sa lubos na paniniwalá ng kanilang masintahing pusó, at sa malaking pagkaibig na ang kanilang mga anak ay mapakagaling. Ang kagulañga’y buñga ñg pagkabatá at ang pagkabata’y nasa kanduñgan ñg ina. Ang inang walang maituturó kundí ang lumuhod humalik ñg kamay, huwag magantay ng anak ng iba sa duñgó ó alipustang alipin. Kahoy na laki sa burak, daluro ó pagatpat ó pangatong lamang; at kung sakalí’t may batang may pusong pangahas, ang kapangahasa’y tagó at gagamitin sa samá, paris ng silaw na kabag na dí makapakita kundí pag tatakip silim. Karaniwang panagot ang una’y kabanalan at pagsinta sa Dios. Ñguní at ano ang kabanalang itinuró sa atin? Magdasal at lumuhod ng matagal, humalik ng kamay sa parí, ubusin ang salapí sa simbahan at paniwalaan ang balang masumpuñgang sabihin sa atin? Tabil ng bibig, lipak ng tuhod, kiskis ng ilong….. bagay sa limos sa simbahan, sangkalan ang Dios, may bagay baga sa mundong ito na dí arí at likhá ng Maykapal? Ano ang inyong sasabihin sa isang alilang maglimos sa kayang panginoon ng isang basahang hiram sa nasabing mayaman? Sino ang taong dí palaló at ulol, na mag lilimos sa Dios at magaakalang ang salantá niyang kaya ay makabibihis sa lumikhá ng lahat ñg bagay? Pagpalain ang maglimos sa kapus, tumulong sa mayhirap, magpakain sa gutom; ñguní at mapulaan at sumpain, ang biñgi sa taghoy ng mahirap, at walang binubusog kundí ang sandat, at inubos ang salapí sa mga frontal na pilak, limos sa simbahan ó sa frayleng lumalañgoy sa yaman, sa misa de gracia ng may tugtugan at paputok, samantalang ang salaping ito’y pinipigá sa buto ñg mahirap at iniaalay sa pañginoon ñg maibili ng tanikalang pangapus, maibayad ng verdugong panghampas. Ó kabulagan at kahiklian ng isip!

Ang unang kabanalan ay ang pagsunod sa matuid, anoman ang mangyari. “Gawá at hindí salitá ang hiling ko sa inyo” ani Cristo; “hindí anak ni ama ang nagsasabing ulit-ulit ama ko, ama ko, kundí ang nabubuhay alinsunod sa hiling ñg aking ama.” Ang kabanalan ay walá sa pulpol na ilong, at ang kahalili ni Cristo’y di kilala sa halikang kamay. Si Cristo’y dí humalik sa mga Fariseo, hindi nagpahalik kailan pa man; hindí niya pinatabá ang may yaman at palalong escribas; walá siyang binangit na kalmen, walang pinapagcuintas, hiningan ng pamisa, at di nagbayad sa kanyang panalangin. Di napaupa si San Juan sa Ilog ng Jordan, gayon din si Cristo sa kanyang pangangaral. Bakit ngayo’y ang mga pari’y walang bigong kilos na di may hinihinging upa? At gutom pa halos nagbibili ng mga kalmen, cuentas, correa at ibapa, pang dayá ng salapi, pampasamá sa kalulua; sa pagkat kalminin mo man ang lahat ng basahan sa lupá, cuintasin mo man ang lahat ng kahoy sa bundok ibilibid mo man sa iyong bayawang ang lahat ng balat ng hayop, at ang lahat na ito’y pagkapaguran mang pagkuruskurusan at pagbulongbulongan ng lahat ng pari sa sangdaigdigan, at iwisik man ang lahat ng tubig sa dagat, ay di mapalilinis ang maruming loob, di mapatatawad ang walang pagsisisi. Gayon din sa kasakiman sa salapi’y maraming ipinagbawal, na matutubos kapag ikaw ay nagbayad, alin na ngá sa huag sa pagkain ng karne, pagaasawa sa pinsan, kumpari, at iba pa, na ipinahihintulot kapag ikaw ay sumuhol. Bakit, nabibili baga ang Dios at nasisilaw sa salaping paris ng mga pari? Ang magnanakaw na tumubos ng bula de composicion, ay makaaasa sa tahimik, na siya’y pinatawad; samakatuid ay ibig ng Dios na makikain ng nakaw? Totoo bagang hirap na ang Maykapal, na nakikigaya sa mga guarda, carabineros ó guardia civil? Kung ito ang Dios na sinasamba ñg Frayle, ay tumalikod ako sa ganyang Dios.

Maghunos dilí ngá tayo at imulat natin ang mata, lalong laló na kayong mga babai, sa pagka’t kayo ang nagbubukas ng loob ng tao. Isipin na ang mabuting ina ay iba, sa inang linalang ng fraile; dapat palakhin ang anak na malapit baga sa larawan ng tunay na Dios, Dios na dí nasusuhulan, Dios na dí masakim sa salapí, Dios na ama ng lahat, na walang kinikilingan, Dios na dí tumatabá sa dugó ng mahirap, na dí nagsasaya sa daing ng naruruhagi, at nangbubulag ng matalinong isip. Gisingin at ihandá ang loob ng anak sa balang mabuti at mahusay na akalá: pagmamahal sa puri, matapat at timtimang loob, maliwanag na pagiisip, malinis na asal, maginoong kilos, pagibig sa kapuá, at pagpipitagan sa Maykapal, ito ang ituró sa anak. At dahil ang buhay ay punó ng pighatí at sakuná, patibayin ang loob sa ano mang hirap, patapañgin ang pusó sa ano mang pañganib. Huag mag antay ang bayan ng puri at ginhawa, samantalang likó ang pagpapalaki sa batá, samantalang lugamí at mangmang ang babaing magpapalaki ñg anak. Walang maiinom sa labó at mapait na bukal; walang matamis na buñga sa punlang maasim. Malaki ngang hindí bahagyá ang katungkulang gaganapin ng babai sa pagkabihis ng hirap ng bayan, nguni at ang lahat na ito’y dí hihigit sa lakas at loob ng babaing Tagalog. Talastas ng lahat ang kapanyarihan at galing ng babayi sa Filipinas, kayá ñgá kanilang binulag, iginapus, at iniyukó ang loob, panatag sila’t habang ang iba’y alipin, ay ma-aalipin din naman ang lahat ng mga anak. Ito ang dahilan ng pagkalugamí ng Asia; ang babayi sa Asia’y mangmang at alipin. Makapangyarihan ang Europa at Amerika dahil duo’y ang mga babai’y malaya’t marunong, dilat ang isip at malakas ang loob.

Alam na kapus kayong totoo ñg mga librong sukat pagaralan; talastas na walang isinisilid araw araw sa inyong pagiisip kundí ang sadyang pang bulag sa inyong bukal na liwanag; tantó ang lahat na ito, kayá pinagsisikapan naming makaabot sa inyo ang ilaw na sumisilang sa kapuá ninyo babayi; dito sa Europa kung hindí kayamutan itong ilang sabi, at pagdamutang basahin, marahil ay makapal man ang ulap na nakakubkob sa ating bayan, ay pipilitin ding mataos ñg masantin na sikat ñg araw, at sisikat kahit banaag lamang … Dí kami manglulumo kapag kayo’y katulong namin; tutulong ang Dios sa pagpawí ñg ulap, palibhasa’y siya ang Dios ñg katotohanan; at isasaulí sa dati ang dilag ñg babaying Tagalog, na walang kakulañgan kundí isang malayang sariling isip, sapagka’t sa kabaita’y labis. Ito ang nasang lagì sa panimdim, na napapanaginip, ang karañgalan ñg babaying kabiak ñg pusó at karamay sa tuá ó hirap ñg buhay: kung dalaga, ay sintahin ñg binatá, di lamang dahilan sa ganda ó tamis ñg asal, kundí naman sa tibay ñg pusó, taas ñg loob, na makabuhay baga at makapanghinapang sa mahiná ó maruruwagang lalaki, ó makapukaw kayá ñg madidilag na pagiisip, pag isang dalaga bagang sukat ipagmalaki ñg bayan, pagpitaganan ñg iba, sapagka at karaniwang sabi sabi ñg mga kastilá at pari na nangagaling diyan ang karupukan at kamangmañgan ñg babaying tagalog, na tila baga ang mali ñg ilan ay malí na nang lahat, at anaki’y sa ibang lupá ay walá, ñg babaing marupok ang loob, at kung sabagay maraming maisusurot sa mata ñg ibang babai ang babaying tagalog….. Gayon ma’y dala marahil ñg kagaanan ñg labí ó galaw ñg dilá, ang mga kastilá, at parí pagbalik sa Espanya’y walang unang ipinamamalabad, ipinalilimbag at ipinagsisigawan halos, sabay ang halakhak, alipustá at tawa, kundí ang babaing si gayon, ay gayon sa convento, gayon sa kastilang pinatuloy, sa iba’t iba pang nakapagñgañgalit; sa tuing maiisip, na ang karamihan ng malí ay gawá ñg kamusmusan, labis na kabaitan, kababaan ñg loob ó kabulagan kayang kalalañgan din nila….. May isang kastilang nagayo’y mataas na tao na, pinakai’t pinatuloy natin sa habang panahong siya’y lumiguyliguy sa Filipinas … pagdating sa Espanya, ipinalimbag agad, na siya raw ay nanuluyang minsan sa Kapangpañgan, kumai’t natulog, at ang maginoong babaying nagpatuloy ay gumayon at gumayon sa kanya: ito ang iginanti sa napakatamis na loob ng babayi … Gayon din ang unang pahili ng pari sa nadalaw na kastila, ay ang kanyang mga masusunuring dalagang tagahalik ng kamay, at iba pang kahalo ang ñgiti at makahulugang kindat … Sa librong ipinalimbag ni Dn. Sinibaldo de Mas, at sa, iba pang sinulat ng mga pari, ay nalathala ang mga kasalanang ikinumpisal ng babai na di ilinilihim ng mga pari sa mga dumadalaw na Kastila, at kung magkaminsan pa’y dinadagdagan ng mga kayabañgan at karumihang hindi mapaniniwalaan … Di ko maulit dito ang mga di ikinahiyang sinabi ng isang fraile kay Mas na di nito mapaniwalaan … Sa tuing maririnig ó mababasa ang mga bagay na ito’y itinatanong namin kung Santa Maria kaya ang lahat ng babaying kastila, at makasalanan na kaya baga ang lahat ng babaying tagalog; ñguni kong sakali’t magsumbatan at maglatlatan ng puri’y … Datapua’t lisanin ko ang bagay na ito, sapagka’t dí ako paring confesor, ó manunuluyang kastilá, na makapaninirá ñg puri ng iba. Itabi ko ito at ituloy sambitin ang katungkulan ñg babai.

Sa mga bayang gumagalang sa babaing para ñg Filipinas, dapat nilang kilanlin ang tunay na lagay upang ding maganapan ang sa kanila’y inia-asa. Ugaling dati’y kapag nanliligaw ang nagaaral na binata ay ipinañgañganyayang lahat, dunong, puri’t salapi, na tila baga ang dalaga’y walang maisasabog kundi ang kasamaan. Ang katapang-tapañga’y kapag napakasal ay nagiging duag, ang duag na datihan ay nagwawalanghiya,na tila walang ina-antay kundi ang magasawa para maipahayag ang sariling kaduagan. Ang anak ay walang pangtakip sa hina ñg loob kundi ang alaala sa ina, at dahilan dito, nalunok na apdo, nagtitiis ñg tampal, nasunod sa lalong hunghang na utos, at tumutulong sa kataksilan ñg iba sa pagka’t kung walang natakbo’y walang manghahagad; kung walang isdang munti’y walang isdang malaki. Bakit kaya baga di humiling ang dalaga sa iibigín, ñg isang marañgal at mapuring ñgalan, isang pusong lalaking makapag-ampon sa kahinaan ng babai, isang marangal na loob na di papayag magka anak ng alipin? Pukawin sa loob ang sigla at sipag, maginoong asal, mahal na pakiramdam, at huwag isuko ang pagkadalaga sa isang mahina at kuyuming puso. Kung maging asawa na, ay dapat tumulong sa lahat ng hírap, palakasin ang loob ng lalaki, humati sa pañganib, aliwin ang dusa, at aglahiin ang hinagpis, at alalahaning lagi na walang hirap na di mababata ñg bayaning puso, at walang papait pang pamana, sa pamanang kaalipustaan at kaalipinan. Mulatin ang mata ñg anak sa pagiiñgat at pagmamahal sa puri, pagibig sa kapua sa tinubuang bayan, at sa pagtupad ñg ukol. Ulituliting matamisin ang mapuring kamatayan saalipustang buhay. Ang mga babai sa Esparta’y (=Sparta) sukat kunang uliran at dito’y ilalagda ko ang aking halimbawa:

Nang iniaabot ñg isang ina ang kalasag sa papasahukbong anak, ay ito lamang ang sinabi: “ibalik mo ó ibalik ka,” ito ñga umuwi kang manalo ó mamatay ka, sapagkat ugaling iwaksi ang kalasag ñg talong natakbo ó inuwi kaya ang bangkay sa ibabaw ñg kalasag. Nabalitaan ñg isang ina na namatay sa laban ang kanyang anak, at ang hukbo ay natalo. Hindi umiimik kundi nagpasalamat dahil ang kanyang anak ay maligtas sa pulá, ñguni at ang anak ay bumalik na buhay; nagluksa ang ina ñg siya’y makita. Sa isang sumasalubong na ina sa mga umuwing galing sa laban, ay ibinalita ñg isa na namatay daw sa pagbabaka ang tatlong anak niya,—”hindi iyan ang tanong ko ang sagot ñg ina, kundi nanalo ó natalo tayó?—Nanalo ang sagot ñg bayani. Kung ganoo’y magpasalamat tayo sa Dios!” ang wika at napa sa simbahan.

Minsa’y nagtagó sa simbahan ang isang napatalong harí nila, sa takot sa galit sa bayan; pinagkaisahang kuluñgin siya doon at patain ñg gutum. Ñg papaderan na ang pinto’y ang ina ang unang nag hakot ñg bato. Ang mga ugaling ito’y karaniwan sa kanila, kayá ñga’t iginalang ng buong Grecia (=Greece) ang babaing Esparta. Sa lahat ñg babai, ang pulá ñg isa ay kayo lamang na taga Esparta ang nakapangyayari sa lalaki. Mangyari pa, ang sagot ñg babai, ay kami lamang ang nagaanak ñg lalaki. Ang tao, ñg mga Esparta ay hindí inianak para mabuhay sa sarili, kungdi para sa kanyang bayan. Habang nanatili ang ganitong mga isipan at ganitong mga babai ay walang kaaway na nakatungtong ñg lupang Esparta, at walang babaing taga Esparta na nakatanaw ñg hukbo ng kaaway. Dí ko inaasahang paniwalaan ako alang-alang lamang sa aking sabi: maraming taong dí natingin sa katuiran at tunay, kundí sa habito, sa putí ñg buhok ó kakulangan kayá ng ngipin. Ñguní at kung ang tanda’y magalang sa pinagdaanang hirap, ang pinagdaan kong buhay hain sa ikagagaling ng bayan, ay makapagbibigay ñg tandá sa akin, kahit maiklí man. Malayó ako sa, pagpapasampalataya, pag didiosdiosan, paghalili kayá sa Dios, paghahangad na paniwalaa’t pakingang pikit-mata, yukó ang ulo at halukipkip ang kamay; ñguni’t ang hiling ko’y magisip, mag mulaymulay ang lahat, usigin at salain kung sakalí sa ngalan ng katuiran itong pinaninindigang mga sabi:

Ang una-una. “Ang ipinagiging taksil ñg ilan ay nasa kaduagan at kapabayaan ñg iba.”

Ang ikalawa. Ang iniaalipustá ng isa ay nasa kulang ñg pagmamahal sa sarili at nasa labis ñg pagkasilaw sa umaalipustá.

Ang ikatlo. Ang kamangmañga’y kaalipinan, sapagkat kung ano ang isip ay ganoon ang tao: taong walang sariling isip, ay taong walang pagkatao; ang bulag na taga sunod sa isip ng iba, ay parang hayop na susunod-sunod sa talí.

Ang ikaapat. Ang ibig magtagó ñg sarili, ay tumulong sa ibang magtagó ñg kanila, sapagkat kung pabayaan mo ang inyong kapuá ay pababayaan ka rin naman; ang isa isang tingting ay madaling baliin, ñguní at mahirap baliin ang isang bigkis na walis.

Ang ika-lima. Kung ang babaing tagalog ay dí magbabago, ay hindí dapat magpalaki ñg anak, kungdí gawing pasibulan lamang; dapat alisin sa kanya ang kapangyarihan sa bahay, sapagka’t kung dili’y ipag kakanulong walang malay, asawa, anak, bayan at lahat.

Ang ika-anim. Ang tao’y inianak na paris-paris hubad at walang talí. Dí nilalang ñg Dios upang maalipin, dí binigyan ñg isip para pabulag, at dí hiniyasan ñg katuiran at ñg maulol ñg iba. Hindí kapalaluan ang dí pagsamba sa kapuá tao, ang pagpapaliwanag ñg isip at paggamit ñg matuid sa anomang bagay. Ang palalo’y ang napasasamba, ang bumubulag sa iba, at ang ibig paniigin ang kanyang ibig sa matuid at katampatan.

Ang ika-pito. Liniñgin ninyong magaling kung ano ang religiong itinuturó sa atin. Tingnan ninyong mabuti kung iyan ang utos ng Dios ó ang pangaral ni Cristong panglunas sa hirap ñg mahirap, pangaliw sa dusa ñg nagdudusa. Alalahanin ninyo ang lahat ñg sa inyo’y itinuturó, ang pinapatuñguhan ñg lahat ng sermon, ang nasa ilalim ng lahat ng misa, novena, kuintas, kalmen, larawan, milagro, kandilá, corea at iba’t iba pang iginigiit, inihihiyaw at isinusurot araw-araw sa inyong loob, taiñga, at mata, at hanapin ninyo ang puno at dulo at saka iparis ninyo ang religiong sa malinis na religion ni Cristo, at tingnan kung hindí ang inyong pagkakristiano ay paris ng inaalagang gatasang hayop, ó paris ng pinatatabang baboy kayá, na dí pinatatabá alang alang sa pagmamahal sa kaniya, kundí maipagbili ng lalong mahal at ng lalong masalapian.

Magbulay-bulay tayo, malasin ang ating kalagayan, at tayo’y mag isip isip. Kung itong ilang buhaghag na sabi’y makatutulong sa ibinigay sa inyong bait, upang ding maituloy ang nasimulan ninyong paglakad.

“Tubó ko’y dakilá sa puhunang pagod” at mamatamisin ang ano mang mangyari, ugaling upa sa sino mang mañgahas sa ating bayan magsabi ng tunay. Matupad nawá ang inyong nasang matuto at harí na ñgang sa halaman ñg karunuñgan ay huwag makapitas ñg buñgang bubut, kundí ang kikitili’y piliin, pagisipin muná, lasapin bago lunukin, sapagka’t sa balat ñg lupá lahat ay haluan, at di bihirang magtanim ang kaaway ng damong pansirá, kasama sa binhí sa gitná ñg linang.

Ito ang matindin nasá ñg inyong kababayang si…

JOSÉ RIZAL

Europa, 1889.

*** Mula sa Patnugot: Hinango ang mababasa dito mula sa websayt ng JoseRizal.info bilang isang serbisyo para sa madla sa paggunita sa pambansang bayani ng Pilipinas, Gat Jose Rizal, sa kaniyang ika-150 kapanganakan. Ang emanila at The Filipino Australian, bilang kasama sa pagtaguyod ng ganitong pag-alaala at pagbibigay dangal ay bumuo ng isang websayt na may taguring “Rizaliana Sesquicentennial Radio Festival in Sydney”.

We have recently launched a website dedicated to the efforts of a group of Filipino Australian community radio broadcasters, announcers, technicians and producers in Sydney as they pay homage to the Philippine national hero, Dr Jose Rizal, via radio broadcast of the hero’s selected works.

The Rizaliana radio festival is their way of celebrating the hero’s sesquicentennial year and their tribute to the hero’s life-time fight for freedom.

The radio program segments will be aired alternatingly in December 2011 by participating community radio programs. After each broadcast, the radio segment will be uploaded to this site nd archived for playback.

Dr Mars Cavestany, a multi-awarded Filipino Australian writer, stage actor and playwright, is the man behind the project, Rizaliana Sesquicentennial Radio Festival in Sydney (RSRFS). Dr Cavestany is in charge of concept, production design, script adaptation and artistic direction.

This site is provided by The Filipino Australian and maintained by members of the “Broadcast Cell” group of Filipino Press Group of Sydney.

Learn more….

We have received an email from a certain “Ji” of Hotmail concerning the article “Anti-Filipino Remarks“.

On reading the message, we thought we misread it.

Our reader was claiming that the article is anti-Filipino! And the article is “degrading” Filipinos and should therefore be removed.

Our reader has sorely missed the whole point of the article.

The ‘Anti-Filipino Remarks’ article is Part 1 of a series of articles in defense of the Filipino titled “In Defense of the Filipino” (what else?). There are 15 articles in the series by Jon Royeca. The last article in the series is “Why Is the Philippines A Poor Country?”

Here is a copy of the message (for security reason, we scrubbed the sender’s email address):

We would like to invite our reader “Ji” to please re-read the article and other blog posts in the series. Our reader should also follow Jon Royeca’s responses to other readers’ comments in order to appreciate how Royeca was “defending the Filipino”.

There are certain articles published on this website which may highlight what is wrong with us as a nation, like Edwin Bael’s article, “Let us build each other up“, but that does not make us anti-Filipino, does it?

By publishing such articles, aren’t we making the Filipino community at large better informed?

Rest assured that emanila, since its inception in 1998, has maintained respect for everyone and has not harboured any biases or prejudices against any nationality or race, be it Filipino or otherwise.

Are we anti-Filipino? Let us hear from you.

This month of October as the world observes the day (October 24) on which the foundational treaty of the Charter of the United Nations became in force, Philippine Studies pays tribute to a great Filipino.

That Filipino is General Carlos P. Romulo (14 January 1899, Camiling, Tarlac, Philippines – 15 December 1985, Manila, Philippines) – diplomat, politician, soldier, journalist, educator, and author.

Below is an extract from Wikipedia about the man who helped shape the future of the United Nations.

In his career in the United Nations, Rómulo was a strong advocate of human rights, freedom and decolonization.

During the selection of the UN’s official seal, he looked over the seal-to-be and asked, “Where is the Philippines?” US Senator Warren Austin, head of the selection committee, explained, “It’s too small to include. If we put the Philippines, it would be no more than a dot.” “I want that dot!” insisted Romulo.

Today, a tiny dot between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea can be found on the UN seal.

In 1948 in Paris, France, at the third UN General Assembly, he strongly disagreed with a proposal made by the Soviet delegation headed by Andrei Vishinsky, who challenged his credentials by insulting him with this quote: “You are just a little man from a little country.” In return, Romulo replied, “It is the duty of the little Davids of this world to fling the pebbles of truth in the eyes of the blustering Goliaths and force them to behave!”, leaving Vishinsky with nothing left to do but sit down.

President of the UN General Assembly

He served as the President of the Fourth Session of United Nations General Assembly from 1949–1950, and chairman of the United Nations Security Council.

He had served with General Douglas MacArthur in the Pacific, was Ambassador to the United States, and became the first non-American to win the Pulitzer Prize in Correspondence in 1942.

The Pulitzer Prize website says Carlos P. Romulo of Philippine Herald was awarded “For his observations and forecasts of Far Eastern developments during a tour of the trouble centers from Hong Kong to Batavia.” He was a candidate for the position of United Nations Secretary-General in 1953, but did not win.

Rómulo served eight Philippine presidents, from Manuel L. Quezon to Ferdinand Marcos, as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines and as the country’s representative to the United States and to the United Nations. He also served as the Resident Commissioner to the U.S. House of Representatives during the Commonwealth era.

General Romulo died, at 86, in Manila on 15 December 1985 and was buried in the Heroes’ Cemetery (Libingan ng mga Bayani). He was honored as the Philippines’ greatest diplomat in the 20th Century.

In 1980, he was extolled by United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim as “Mr. United Nations” for his valuable services to the United Nations and his dedication to freedom and world peace.

Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896, Bagumbayan), was a Filipino polymath, nationalist and the most prominent advocate for reforms in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era.

He is considered a national hero of the Philippines, and the anniversary of Rizal’s death is commemorated as a Philippine holiday called Rizal Day. Rizal’s 1896 military trial and execution made him a martyr of the Philippine Revolution.

The seventh of eleven children born to a wealthy family in the town of Calamba, Laguna, Rizal attended the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, earning a Bachelor of Arts. He enrolled in Medicine and Philosophy and Letters at the University of Santo Tomas and then traveled alone to Madrid, Spain, where he continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid, earning the degree of Licentiate in Medicine. He attended the University of Paris and earned a second doctorate at the University of Heidelberg.

Rizal was a polyglot conversant in at least ten languages. He was a prolific poet, essayist, diarist, correspondent, and novelist whose most famous works were his two novels, Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. These are social commentaries on the Philippines that formed the nucleus of literature that inspired dissent among peaceful reformists and spurred the militancy of armed revolutionaries against the Spanish colonial authorities.

As a political figure, Jose Rizal was the founder of La Liga Filipina, a civic organization that subsequently gave birth to the Katipunan led by Andrés Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo. He was a proponent of institutional reforms by peaceful means rather than by violent revolution. The general consensus among Rizal scholars, however, attributed his martyred death as the catalyst that precipitated the Philippine Revolution.

Chronology of Events

1848, June 28 Rizal’s parents married in Kalamba, La Laguna: Francisco Rizal-Mercado y Alejandra (born in Biñan, April 18, 1818) and Teodora Morales Alonso-Realonda y Quintos (born in Sta. Cruz, Manila, November 14, 1827)

1861, June 19 Rizal born, their seventh child

1861, June 22 Christened as José Protasio Rizal-Mercado y Alonso-Realonda

1870, age 9 In school at Biñan under Master Justiniano Aquin Cruz

1871, age 10 In Kalamba public school under Master Lucas Padua

1872, June 10, age 11 Examined in San Juan de Letran college, Manila, which, during the Spanish time, as part of Sto. Tomás University, controlled entrance to all higher institutions

1872, June 26 Entered the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, then a public school, as a day scholar

1875, June 16, age 14 Became a boarder in the Ateneo

1876, March 23, age 15 Received the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, with highest honors, from Ateneo de Manila

1877, June Entered Sto. Tomás University in the Philosophy course

1877, November 29 Awarded diploma of honorable mention and merit by the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country, Amigos del País, for the prize poem

1878, June, age 16 Matriculated in the medical course. Won Liceo Artistico-Literario prize, in poetical competition for “Indians and Mestizos”, with the poem “To the Philippine Youth”

Wounded in the back for not saluting a Guardia Civil lieutenant whom he had not seen. The authorities ignored his complaint

1880, April 23, age 19 Received Licco Artístico-Literariodiploma of honorable mention for the allegory, “The Council of the Gods”, in competition open to “Spaniards, mestizos and Indians”. Unjustly deprived of the first prize

1880, December 8 Operetta “On the Banks of the Pasig” produced

1881, age 20 Submitted winning wax model design for commemorative medal for the Royal Economic Society of Friends of the Country centennial

1882, May 3, age 21 Secretly left Manila taking a French mail steamer at Singapore for Marseilles and entering Spain at Port Bou by railroad. His brother, Paciano Mercado, furnished the money

1882, June Absence noted at Sto. Tomás University, which owned the Kalamba estate. Rizal’s father was compelled to prove that he had no knowledge of his son’s plan in order to hold the land on which he was the University’s tenant

1882, June 15 Arrived in Barcelona

1882, October 3 Began studies in Madrid

1886 Received degree of Licentiate in Medicine with honors from Central University of Madrid on June 19 at the age of 24

- Clinical assistant to Dr. L. de Wecker, a Paris oculist.

- Visited Universities of Heidelberg, Leipzig, and Berlin

1887, Feb. 21, age 26 Finished the novel Noli Me Tangerein Berlin

- Traveled in Austria, Switzerland and Italy

1887, July 3 Sailed from Marseilles

1887, August 5 Arrived in Manila. Traveled in nearby provinces with a Spanish lieutenant, detailed by the Governor-General, as escort

1888, Feb Sailed for Japan via Hong Kong

1888, Feb. 28 to April 13, age 27 A guest at the Spanish Legation, Tokyo, and traveling in Japan

1888, April-May Traveling in the United States

1888, May 24 In London, studying in the British Museum to edit Morga’s 1609 Philippine History

1889, March, age 28 In Paris, publishing Morga’s History. Published “The Philippines A Century Hence” in La Solidaridad, a Filipino fortnightly review, first of Barcelona and later of Madrid

1890, February to July, age 29 In Belgium finished El Filibusterismowhich is the sequel to Noli Me Tangere.

- Published “The Indolence of the Filipino” in La Solidaridad

1890, August 4 Returned to Madrid to confer with his countrymen on the Philippine situation, then constantly growing worse

1891, January 27 Left Madrid for France

1891, November, age 30 Arranging for a Filipino agricultural colony in British North Borneo

- Practiced medicine in Hong Kong

1892, June 26, age 31 Returned to Manila under Governor-General Despujol’s safe conduct pass

- Organized a mutual aid economic society: La Liga Filipina on July 3.

1892, July 6 Ordered deported to Dapitan, but the decree and charges were kept secret from him.

- Taught school and conducted a hospital during his exile, patients coming from China coast ports for treatment. Fees thus earned were used to beautify the town. Arranged a water system and had the plaza lighted

1896, August 1, age 35 Left Dapitan en route to Spain as a volunteer surgeon for the Cuban yellow fever hospitals. Carried letters of recommendation from Governor-General Blanco

1896, August 7 to September 3 On Spanish cruiser Castilla in Manila Bay

- Sailed for Spain on Spanish mail steamer and just after leaving Port Said was confined to his cabin as a prisoner on cabled order from Manila. (Rizal’s enemies to secure the appointment of a governor-general subservient to them, the servile Polavieja had purchased Governor-General Blanco’s promotion.)

1896, October 6 Placed in Montjuich Castle dungeon on his arrival in Barcelona and the same day re-embarked for Manila. Friends and countrymen in London by cable made an unsuccessful effort for a Habeas Corpuswrit at Singapore. On arrival in Manila was placed in Fort Santiago dungeon

1890, December 3 Charged with treason, sedition and forming illegal societies, the prosecution arguing that he was responsible for the deeds of those who read his writings

- During his imprisonment Rizal began to formulate in his mind his greatest poem who others later entitle, “My Last Farewell.”(later concealed in an alcohol cooking lamp)

December 12 Rizal appears in a courtroom where the judges made no effort to check those who cry out for his death

1896, December 15 Wrote an address to insurgent Filipinos to lay down their arms because their insurrection was at that time hopeless. Address not made public but added to the charges against him

1896, December 27 Formally condemned to death by a Spanish court martial

- Pi y Margall, who had been president of the Spanish Republic, pleaded with the Prime Minister for Rizal’s life, but the Queen Regent could not forgive his having referred in one of his writings to the murder by, and suicide of, her relative, Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria.

1896, December 29 Completes and puts into writing “My Last Farewell.” He conceals the poem in an alcohol heating apparatus and gives it to his family. He may have also concealed another copy of the same poem in one of his shoes but, if so, it is lost in decomposition in his burial

1896, December 30, age 35 years, 6 months, 11 days Roman Catholic sources allege that Rizal marries Josephine Bracken in his Fort Santiago death cell to Josephine Bracken; she is Irish, the adopted daughter of a blind American who came to Dapitan from Hong Kong for treatment.

- Shot on the Luneta, Manila, at 7:03 a.m., and buried in a secret grave in Paco Cemetery. (Entry of his death was made in the Paco Church Register among suicides.)

1887, January Commemorated by Spanish Free-masons who dedicated a tablet to his memory, in their Grand Lodge hall in Madrid, as a martyr to Liberty

1898, August Filipinos who placed over it in Paco cemetery, a cross inscribed simply “December 30, 1896″, sought his grave, immediately after the American capture of Manila. Since his death his countrymen had never spoken his name, but all references had been to “The Dead”

1898, December 20 President Aguinaldo, of the Philippine Revolutionary Government, proclaimed December 30th as a day of national mourning

1898, December 30 Filipinos held Memorial services at which time American soldiers on duty carried their arms reversed

1911, June 19 Birth semi-centennial observed in all public schools by an act of the Philippine Legislature

1912, December 30 Rizal’s ashes transferred to the Rizal Mausoleum on the Luneta with impressive public ceremonies

Source: Order of the Knights of Rizal

Ed’s Notes: This is an excerpt of a blog post titled “The correct use of ng and nang” written in March 2009 by Romy Cayabyab, emanila publisher. The complete text and a follow-through post is available at Romy’s A Matter of Sharing blog.

A blog on the correct use of ‘ng’ and ‘nang’ is something I have been planning to do for sometime. But other things got on the way which relegated this idea on the background.

Given the increasing popularity of Tagalog / Filipino not only in the blogosphere but even in real community life, I think we can now pursue the idea.

I did a quick search on Google and Yahoo just to make sure we are not replicating what is already available on the web, and here is what I found:

Wikipedia’s Palabaybayan ng Filipino – My comments: Although not directly relating to the subject, still it is a good reference for those who would like to know more about the Filipino language. The discussion like other Wikipedia pages is very scholarly.

Answers.com’s Wastong gamit ng ng at nang? - My comments: I find Answer’s Q&A on the subject reasonable, but may not be adequate to fully grasp the nuances of ‘ng’ and ‘nang’.

Yahoo Groups’ Re: Nang vs. Ng - My comments: The discussions and examples are limited.

I also found forums with threads on the subject, but I am not ready to recommend them. They are either fragmented or incomplete. Some are even confusing. As one would expect, the threads do not provide definitive, let alone authoritative, answers.

I emailed Ezzard R. Gilbang and Raul Funilas who I know are excellent resource persons on the subject as Ka Ezzard and Tata Raul are known in emanilapoetry’s writers circle for their poems mostly written in Tagalog.

I am very glad that they responded. I quote below their email responses. Thanks to them, I think we have now a handy reference page on the correct use of ‘ng’ an ‘nang’ – at least here in emanila.

To continue reading the article, please click here.

Before the “TITANIC”, there were the GALLEONS, and the Filipinos were on them. And now, everyone has a chance to jump aboard a mighty ship that once ruled the world.

From October 5-9, the Philippines will host the Nao Victoria, a 17th century replica of a Galleon. Berthing at the Manila Harbor, guests from all over will be able to view and walk through history. Without fuel and minimal modern technology, the Galleon is almost exactly as it was four hundred years ago. The Philippines will once again claim its glory as one of the centers of global trade and cultural transmission.

The Galleons, which traveled twice a year from Manila to Acapulco, brought with it goods from four continents. Bounties of the Earth such as silver, pearls and chocolate; and exquisitely made items such as porcelain, silk and pina were traded in Philippine and Mexican ports. Up to eighty percent of the crew were Filipinos, and to this very day, Filipinos are still renowned as Masters of the Seas.

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Día del Galeón in partnernship with the Fundación Nao Victoria of Spain, have collaborated and will bring in a piece of world history on Philippine shores. The vessel departed last March 21 from Seville Spain and has crossed the Mediteranean and Indian Oceans. Currently, it is docked in the Shanghai International Expo in China.

The Galleon is 51 meters long and can hold up to 5,000 people! It weighs 495 tons and has ten cast iron cannons reminiscent of days gone by. For those who think history can only be read in old books, this will bring history to light. Philippine national and cultural agencies have pooled their resources together with the Philippine Ports Authority, MARINA, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine Shippers Association on-board to plan the arrival of the Galleon.

The Galleon will be part of the Día del Galeón festivities for the months of September to October. Let us celebrate the new Philippine Renaissance. The Día del Galeón Festival will focus on the impacts of the Galleon and will mirror the three concerns of the United Nations for the year 2010: the protection of biodiversity as impacted by climate change, the advancement of seafaring concerns, as well as Cultural Rapprochement.

The Philippine festival will add a new dimension to the Galleon trade as it will highlight the role and impact of the Filipinos during the trade as well as emphasizing indigenous art form and heritage at par with Hispanic art form.

The Organizing Committee is chaired by NCCA’s Dr. Vilma Labrador, with Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo as Advisory Board Chair. Senator Edgardo J. Angara is the Honorary Chairperson of the event while Cecile Guidote-Alvarez is the Festival’s Director General.

Preparations are underway for the UNESCO-approved global observance of Día del Galeón scheduled for October 8 to remember its historic role as a trade route connecting continents and as a vessel of cultural exchange.

Source: Philippine Senate

By Tony P. Fernandez

The year was 1950. The place was the Malate church in Manila. I was attending a Sunday mass and stood on the aisle because the church was full. Then suddenly he appeared: Don Claro M. Recto. He stood next to me, comfortable, refined and elegant in his plain white suit.

The earth seemed to sink beneath me. I remember saying to myself: “Wow! Claro M. Recto himself!”

Recto looked at me and smiled. It was a gesture I’ll never forget because Don Claro M. Recto was at the time an icon in Philippine politics. And there I was standing next to a man who will be written about in Philippine history. Oh, how I wished to have exchanged a few words with him.

But that was not to be. When the mass was over, Recto walked to his car and before it sped away, he waved to some bystanders who recognized him.

A staunch nationalist

Recto was a staunch nationalist and the most prominent voice defending the sovereign rights of the Filipinos whose writings and speeches in Congress were highly critical of U.S. policy specially the U. S. military bases in our land.

Those of us who were young students of that generation had nothing but admiration for this man and considered him as the spokesman in our revolt against U.S. domination and against the American military bases.

In short, I stood next to a hero that Sunday morning for Don Claro is now esteemed by millions of Filipinos and a shrine in Philippine history.

Today’s Filipinos know how so militant a nationalist was Recto, but many might not realize that the great patriot was a product of the Spanish culture and its legacies to the Filipino people.

He contended that Spanish culture has become so much part of the Filipino spirit and identity that to abolish these would impoverish our culture. Indeed, as a young aspiring writer, Recto was one of the most influential writers in the Spanish language and one of the finest poets in the Spanish language which he mastered along with English which he also mastered with brilliance.

He fought throughout his life for teaching Spanish in our schools along with Dr. Jose Rizal?s important works: the Noli and Fili.

Valuing our Spanish heritage

But after entering politics, Recto became less preoccupied to the world of letters, but kept the old faith and remained loyal to it and continued to value our Spanish heritage arguing that Spain’s enduring legacy was part of our Filipino culture.

Recto produced pages of prose and poetry in Spanish and won the Zobel Prize for Spanish literature even as he was speaking out in defense of his people?s rights in the crusade for the emancipation of the Philippines from American domination and the attainment of complete and real sovereignty of the Filipino people.

The Filipino historian Renato Constantino, in his book The Making of a Filipino, paid tribute to Recto?s contribution in our historic struggle for emancipation by stating that: “Recto?s doctrinal views in their entirety constitute a definite historic contribution which makes him part of the real history of our people; and his development proved that only the decolonized Filipino is a real Filipino.”

“It is terrible to die in a foreign country”

In 1960, the Spanish government invited Recto to visit Spain as its guest. The pilgrimage to Spain was to have been the most satisfying old dreams of Recto because of his sustaining affection for Spanish. The dream was not to be fulfilled. The pilgrimage was to remain unfinished.

Recto never reached Spain. He suffered a heart attack in Rome and died on October 2, 1960. He was 70.

According to an article written by Nick Joaquin, Don Claro M. Recto?s mind remained clear to the end. Said he in anguish: “It is terrible to die in a foreign country.”
Those were his last words.

*** This article about Don Claro M. Recto (born February 8, 1890) first appeared online here at emanila.com, and reposted to emanila*pilipino on Feb 25, 2003. Tony Fernandez is based in Montreal, Canada. Please click here to know more about Tony.

Editor’s Notes: The following article was sent in by ”Xyrus” of Auckland, NZ and originally published on emanila*pilipino.

———————-

“Be proud of yourself……you can do anything you put your mind to.”

In the Philippines, Filipinos were introduced to  the English language in 1762 by British invaders, not Americans.

What is the world’s 3rd largest English-speaking nation, next to the USA  and the UK? The Philippines.

The USA bought the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam from Spain in1898. The Filipino-American Independence War from 1898 to 1902 ensued, killing  4,234 Americans and how many Filipinos? 16,000 were killed in action and 200,000 died from famine and  pestilence. (The Philippines lost and was colonized until 1946.)

Los Angeles, California was co-founded in 1781 by a Filipino named Antonio Miranda Rodriguez, along with 43  Latinos from Mexico sent by the Spanish government .

What antibiotic did Filipino doctor Abelardo Aguilar co-discover?
Hint: Brand is Ilosone, named after Iloilo. Erythromycin.

The one-chip video camera was first made by Marc Loinaz, a Filipino inventor from New Jersey.

The first ever international Grandmaster from Asia was Eugenio Torre who won at the Chess Olympiad in Nice, France in 1974.

This son of two Filipino physicians scored over 700 on the verbal portion of the Standardized Achievement Test (SAT) before the age of 13  -  Kiwi Danao Camara of Punahou School, Hawaii…

Edward Sanchez, a Mensa member, bagged the grand prize in the first Philippine Search for Product Excellence in Information Technology.

Who was the Filipino-American dancer who scored a perfect 1600 on the SAT? Joyce Monteverde of California.

Who invented the fluorescent lamp? Thomas Edison discovered the electric light and the fluorescent lighting was thought up by Nikola Tesla. But the fluorescent lamp we use today was invented by Agapito Flores (a Cebu man named Benigno Flores of Bantayan Island, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer), a Filipino scientist.

Pure- or part-Filipino celebrities in American showbiz include

Von Flores, Tia Carrere, Paolo Montalban, Lea Salonga, Ernie Reyes Jr., Nia Peeples, Julio Iglesias Jr., Lou Diamond Phillips, Phoebe Cates and Rob Schneider.

The first Filipino act to land a top hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in the 1960s was the group Rocky Fellers of Manila. Sugar Pie de Santo (father was from the Philippines), The Artist formerly known as  Prince (according to the October 1984 article “Prince in Exile” by Scott Isler in the magazine Musician), Jaya, Foxy Brown and Enrique Iglesias followed.

Pure Filipinos who made success in minor charts were Jocelyn Enriquez aka Oriental Madonna, Buffy, Pinay and (Ella May) Saison. Latina-American pop star Christina Aguilera lost to Filipina vocalist Josephine Roberto aka  Banig during the International Star Search years ago. In a mid-1999 MTV chat, she said that competing against someone of Banig’s age was “not fair.”

Besides gracing fashion magazine covers, this international supermodel from Manila had walked the runways since the 1970s for all the major designers,  like Calvin Klein, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Donna Karan, Gianni Versace and Yves Saint Laurent – Anna Bayle.

Who is the personal physician of United States Pres. William Clinton? Eleanor “Connie” Concepcion Mariano, a Filipina doctor who was the youngest captain in the US Navy.

The first Filipino-American in US Congress was Virginia Rep. Robert Cortez-Scott, a Harvard alumnus.

Distinguished British traveler-writer A. Henry Savage Landor, thrilled upon seeing a Bicol landmark in 1903, wrote: “Mayon is the most beautiful mountain I have ever seen, the world-renowned Fujiyama (Mt. Fuji) of Japan  sinking into perfect insignificance by comparison. Mayon has the world’s most perfect cone.”

Filipinos had their first taste of Mexican chili and corn during the Manila-Acapulco galleon trade (1564-1815). In return, Mexico’s people had their initial taste of tamarind, Manila mango and a Filipino banana called racatan or lakatan.

Founded in 1595 by Spaniards, the University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines is older than Harvard and is the oldest university in Asia.

University of Santo Tomas in Manila, established in 1611, is Asia’s second oldest.

Who was the first Asian and/or Filipino to snatch America’s Pulitzer Prize? Philippines Herald war journalist Carlos P. Romulo in 1941. (He was also the first Asian to become UN President.)

The first two Filipino-Americans to garner the same award 56 years later were Seattle Times’ Alex Tizon and Byron Acohido, who is part-Korean.

Filipino writer Jose Rizal could read and write at age 2, and grew up to speak more than 20 languages, including Latin, Greek, German, French and Chinese. What were his last words? “Consummatum est!” (“It is done!”)

“What’s still most impressive to me about the Philippines is the friendliness of the people, their sense of humor…,” wrote Honolulu journalist John Griffin in a 1998 visit to Manila.

*** Note: We found this material one evening in our emailbox. We thought we should upload it for the benefit of all and sundry. / webmaster rc 13 March 2000