The Philippines » jose rizal

New Statues of Rizal

Tony Sulat — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 14:14:35 +0000

Excessively Delusional Worship of St. Jose Rizal

Can I ask what is the difference of Jose Rizal to Manny Pacquiao and Ms. Charice Pempengco? Yes, the intelligence and martyrdom but the international fame and almost idolatrous adulation of most Filipinos to Jose Rizal are almost the same, right?

Recently, another weird adulation and worship was given to Jose Rizal at his 150th birth day when a two new statue of him was unveiled First, at his hometown Calamba making it as the tallest Jose Rizal statue ever plus with a solid advice from hypocritical Philippine president PNoy advising the nation to follow Rizal’s “tuwid na daan” DAW.

Meanwhile, the other new Jose Rizal statue is more excessive in terms of worship to Jose Rizal, the one erected at Daang Reyna at Las Pinas and Cavite which was desired to be the new symbol of the new Philippines by its Russian sculptor Gregory Pototsky.

This new Rizal statue depicts a young Rizal (a young boy) in a jubilant outstretched hands pose which according to the great grand niece of Rizal that the new statue depicts freedom; freedom from ignorance which is indeed ironic to the current situation of the general masses of the Philippines.

The young JR on his boyish statue at Daang Reyna

However, according to Villars who funded the sculpting of the new Rizal statue, it is a statue that will inspire the students to pursue education and knowledge as well because that is what Jose Rizal has been advocating when he still alive. But is it only Jose Rizal the only Filipino advocating education and knowledge during his time, what about the other Filipinos who have the same aspiration and advocacies then but was not fortunately sensationalized and given much attention just what was given to Jose Rizal? This is indeed unfair and bias idolatry of one Filipino; Rizal should be ashamed or will be ashamed once he learns such excessive adulation on him.

Furthermore, to complicate more Filipino’s inclination to excessive idolatrous acts is the Russian sculptor’s statement that his new Rizal statue depicts Rizal’s “flight to eternity” which is “Owh!” so hyperbolically delusional and untrue which of course Rizal’s fanatics will be too much overwhelmed with hallucinations regarding such compliments.

No offense to Rizal worshipers in the Philippines as well as foreigners who admire Jose Rizal, think about this: Is Rizal the only Filipino who fought for freedom during the Spanish occupation in the Philippines? Is he the only leader then? Be fair to other Filipinos who never given such great compliment though they truly fight with their blood during the Spanish occupation.

Pinas Top News # 6

Tony Sulat — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:59:31 +0000

From June 13 To June 19

Philippine news and happenings which top or headed the Filipino public awareness from week June 13 up to June 19 and that fills up the news on Philippine Television and Philippine newspaper, in accordance to my own observation. Here are they:

1. Spratlys Again. “Who owns the Spratlys fights”, divides the islands to an endless struggle for sovereignty. It will not resolve the issue if every concerned countries have this on their mind for it is evident geographically that concerned countries have divided share and no one owns the whole South China Sea and the islands therein.

It would better that the concerned countries share peacefully than egoistically fight who owns the Spratlys which leads to nowhere but only endless disputes and worst will lead into war only because of a tiny islands like little children fighting for a one little candy. It is a childish way.

Former Philippine president Ms. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is somewhat right on her peace pact like plan which gave the concerned countries an equal share of the islands to avoid war than PNoy’s egoistical approach to it that will only leads eventually to war. But for sure PNoy’s own incompetency to resolve the issue will blame it again to Gloria, as usual just to hide his own incompetency which he have already really done, as the recent reports said.

If you examined the issue, will the concerned countries, especially China concede that Spratlys is indeed Philippines’ territorial possession when China has its own, according to them solid evidence to claim Spratlys and throw out of whack Philippines grounded claim on the islands?

And what this meddling issues of America and other countries out there backing up the Philippines on its claim of sovereignty over the Spratlys. Are these meddling countries truly backing up the Philippines or are they just using the Philippines as a stepping stone to fulfill their political agenda against China? This siding act is quite dangerous because it spew disgusting signs of future world war. And if America is for World Peace why it is siding the Philippines which only creates conflicts rather than being magnanimous and neutral in the issue that will create peace between China and Philippines.

2. Food Poisoning Incidents. A subsequent event of food poisoning incident, namely first from Calumpit Bulacan which brought more than 200 people(children and adults) to hospitals because of aching stomach and sluggishness after eating “spaghetti” from a birthday party; and followed by another report of similar incident from Tuguegarao Cagayan which brought 46 people to hospitals and have killed two children after eating the food in the school canteen which believe to have oxalic acid but recently it was tentatively reported that it is not oxalic acid but sodium nitrate or “salitre” which the teacher who cook the food mistaken the sodium nitrate as salt.

These two incidents of food poisoning bring back into public awareness that food doesn’t only make your physical body alive but it could also kill it, if improper handling of food is not done and observed.

There are already number of case of food poisoning in the Philippines and most especially happens on schools, but still lessons have not yet learned, thus history repeats itself.

3.The Peril of Online Social Networking. The case of actor-director Ricky Rivero who almost die because of stab wounds brought to him by his new found facebook friend name Hans Ivan Ruiz as the news trying to say to the public, as well as the subsequent case of a young college girl who lost her insanity after being raped many times by her alleged meet up with her Tagged friends on social networking site – Tagged sparks new public fear that there is a great danger when one socialize online with someone whom one do not know personally when one attempt to meet up a new found one friend personally.

4. Jose Rizal’s Birthday. Annually immortalizing a so-called Filipino hero name Jose Rizal who spend his life indulging on personal gain of knowledge away from the Philippines amidst Spanish tyrannical occupation in the Philippines before he come back in the Philippines,and die because he was accused as “heretic(erehe)” against strictly imposed Christianity by the Spaniards in the Philippine then wherein Jose Rizal become a freemasonic on his beliefs which he used i guess to scrap away the Spanish-inspired Christianity and imposed his own religious beliefs which incensed the Spanish priests which prompts them to label Jose Rizal “heretic” and deliver to death sentence trough firing squad to protect and defend the Filipinos through his new found religion; is indeed absurd and unfair to other Filipinos who truly fought the Spanish occupation who do not leave the entire Philippines so that they could study first abroad of how to fight the Spaniard just like what Jose Rizal have done; or who never left their homelands amidst the ruling of the Spanish yet not known in history because they were not financially rich like Jose Rizal. It is sickening to call a National hero, a person who leave the country amidst the tyrannical rule of a conqueror and left his own people just to pursue his personal dream to study what he wanted study abroad. Is that a hero?

5. Miley Cyrus Concert. Another international young pop singer sensation invades the Philippine concert grounds and rock her Filipino fans with her smashing hit songs like, ”The Climb”, ”Take Me Along”, ”Simple Song”, ”Party in the USA”, and others. Yes, Miley Cyrus is in the house. Last June 17, she rock the concert ground of SM Mall of Asia with her concluded Philippine concert.

6. Typhoon “Egay”. It seems the Philippines is receiving a weekly dose of storms, for another storm for the week strike Pinas and hits our Top list – the typhoon “Egay”. However, it is not quite super typhoon anyway. But hold your seats again this week for another typhoon dosage – the forthcoming of typhoon “falcon”. For according to weather forecast, another typhoon will follow the typhoon “Egay” this week which gave early warnings and preparation for the forthcoming of this new storm.

Religion in the Philippines

The Philippines — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:36:17 +0000

Continual Religious Hegemony in the Philippines

Religion in the Philippines become like a bread and butter in terms of morality. However, is the predominant religion in the Philippines which is Catholicism/Christianity a homegrown belief system in the Philippines?

Any Pilipino historian would say, it is Not, as well as the Philippines’ National heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio who have a non-catholic/non-Christian religion will utterly deny that Catholicism/ Christianity is the homegrown religion of the Philippines.

Actually, Philippine’s National heroes –Dr. Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio- fought against the hegemonic rule of Catholicism/Christianity during the Spanish times. Moreover, the Catholics/Christians during the Spanish times even snatch without mercy the native lands of the “Pilipino Katutubos” at that time. Just like what the Spanish priest missionaries were doing on remote areas in the world not only in the Philippines during the Middle times.

Up until now, the Spanish religion still has hegemony over the majority of the Pilipinos and trying to meddle again on the moral and political affairs of the Philippines. The most recent is the use of condom to prevent sexually transmitted disease which the Catholic Church have opposed and trying to impose her own power over it.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines or the CBCP is the seat of the continuing proof of religious hegemony in the Philippines that tries to intervene and meddle in the Philippine affairs.

Calamba Laguna in the Philippines

The Philippines — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:33:55 +0000

Calamba Laguna Philippines

Perhaps most Filipinos already knew what’s in this place, yeah, it is the home place or birth place of Doctor Jose P. Rizal –the Philippines’ National Hero, A renaissance genius man. He is an artist, a doctor (ophthalmologist), a poet, a publicist, an engineer, a sculptor, a novelist, a teacher, a linguist who could speak 21 languages, and of course a martyr hero. Actually, his ancestral house at Calamba has now become a tourist attraction for those who visit Calamba Laguna Philippines where a memorabilia about him was on display. They call it Rizal Shrine.

Actually, his ancestral home was destroyed during World War II but was restored during the presidency of Elpidio Quirino, which is during 1950s.

However, it was not only Dr.Jose P.Rizal is the known hero that Calamba Laguna have produced, actually, there are still other four National heroes, namely General Paciano Rizal, Teodora Alonzo, General Vicente Lim, and Lt. Geronimo Aclan. Thus,an association have arise,that is the Calamba Association Of Northeastern USA,Inc. base on New York.This Calamba organization have established by the former residents of Calamba Laguna Philippines to promote Calamba Philippines itself and for the welfare and improvement of the lives of Filipinos in line with the heroic deeds of the national heroes which have sprouted from Calamba Laguna in the Philippines.

Anyway, what are other places of interest at Calamba Laguna Philippines aside from its hero’s zone area? At Laguna Philippines there are many resorts and hot springs you could visit, however, we will discuss them at my article Laguna Philippines. Calamba Laguna is only at the footstool of Laguna Philippines’s famous Enchanted Mountain –Mt. Maria Makiling,thus you could tread upon the Mt. Maria Makiling through Calamba Laguna. Moreover, Calamba has rich source of fresh clean water due to Laguna Philippines have many hot springs within its vicinity. Calamba Laguna has also hot springs at Laguna de Bay- the Wonder Island Resort.

Another place of interest at Calamba, is the St. John the Baptist Church. It has a beautiful ambience and most tourists attend mass on it. I remember, when I was a child we attend mass in it after we visit the Rizal Shrine. For it is said that on this church, Dr. Jose P. Rizal was baptized. Furthermore, at the front of Calamba Laguna Municipal Hall, there are a beautiful potted plants and flowers for sale that could awe your site.

Aside from Rizal’s memorial statue at Luneta Park, he has also another memorial statue at Rizal Memorial School at Calamba Laguna.

However, if you want to visit Calamba Laguna Philippines, it is only 53 kilometers away from Manila Philippines and lies at the southern terminal of South Luzon Expressway. And they say it is a gateway to many part of Laguna in the Philippines and to other adjacent cities and regions.

Calamba Laguna is the largest city of Laguna Philippines which largely are migrants from Manila Philippines and Tagalog regions of the Philippines, as well some religious groups and foreign tourists. Thus, it has many real estate businesses within its region.