SIX years after the celebration of the Centennial of our Philippine Independence, I recall the several conferences we had the privilege of convening in several regions of the country – Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Dapitan and of course Manila. The paper writers and presenters who represented various disciplines — history and other social sciences, educators, scientists, members of civil society, provided further analysis by rectifying errors in earlier historical analyses and identifying gaps — important events which have been overlooked such as the role played by Filipinos in the uplands and Muslim Mindanao. The latter include names of men and women who have made significant contributions in our historical struggle. One important contribution made by the National Centennial Commission was the recognition of the need to continue to rewrite history.
Director Pablo Trillana’s paper on "Independence and National Destiny" recently published in this paper demonstrates the need to recall stories of our past that can provide insights into who we are and what we are. It also provides the springboard for this recollection of thoughts shared during the Centennial celebration. Trillana discussed what he sees as one need in our times, which is to examine the focus of our struggles for change. As he noted, "we have lost the balance betweeen the moral and material imperatives of change, seeking to develop physical infrastructure and external institutions without the corresponding moral foundations." He attributes this to "history, in the story of our spirituality that is never told, in the voices that are stilled." As examples, he cites the strict ethical norms that governed relationships among the pre-colonial inhabitants; the various religious movements during the Spanish colonial regime where peasant members of cofradias or sodalities used prayers and devotions as they established a society of brotherly love; the struggle of Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Jacinto who stressed kalinisan ng loob or inner transformation; and Apolinario Mabini who emphasized the need to "change radically not only our institutions but also our manner of behaving and thinking. But these, he noted, have not been given due emphasis in our history books.
According to the late Fr. Raul Bonoan, S.J., a conference resource person during the Centennial celebration, Rizal as a political scientist and activist was faced with four options as he sought to improve the conditions of his country. The first was assimilation which entailed the incorporation of the Philippines as a province of Spain; the second was reform which meant the proper implementation of just laws and policies in the colony and the institution of new ones to safeguard the rights of the Filipnos; the third was violent revolution which he eventually rejected for its questionable morality; and the fourth, which he adopted in 1891 was nationbuilding. Rizal co-founded and drafted the statutes of La Liga Filipina, the objective of which was to organize the people into one compact body for mutual protection, defense against injustice and the enhancement of the economy and general culture. The La Liga, as we know, was an expression of a growing awareness among the people that they were all Filipinos. It mattered not whether they came from different regions or what social class they belonged to. He believed that a nation that was not unified by a sense of purpose would merely foster tyranny and oppression. His nationalism demanded moral regeneration and the ethical behavior of every Filipino. Unlike other propagandists who were not bothered by the conduct of their fellow Filipinos, Rizal disapproved of easy-going ways such as gambling and womanizing. For this intense love of country and sense of patriotism, Bonoan describes Rizal as the "first Filipino."
The Centennial celebration in 1998 provided the opportunity to look back into the past in the search for the values which seemed to have been lost because of history’s emphasis on the violent struggles for freedom. Ten keyword-values integrate the over a hundred values tracked by the National Centennial Commission from various studies and conferences. They are: pagiging magpamahal sa kapwa/pagkamakatao; pagiging patas; pagiging magalang; pagpapahalaga sa dangal ng pagkatao; pagkamkabansa/pagkamakabayan; pagiging matatag ang loob; pag-kakaisa; pagkamapayapa; pananalig sa Dakilang Lumikha; pagkamakaka-likasan.
The above values – love of fellowmen, equality, respect, regard for rights of others, love of country, moral courage, unity and brotherhood, peace, faith in the Divine Providence, protection of patrimony and environment – most of these are found in our Constitution, mission statements and are also the core values in our social studies courses. But how we internalize these values so that they indeed guide our day-to-day behavior is another thing. Our annual celebration of Independence Day provides us an opportunity for reflection and self-examination.
