Filipino Freedom in Rizal's El Filibusterismo

“As long as the Filipino people have not enough spirit to proclaim, brow held high, and breast bared, their right to a free society, and to maintain it with their sacrifices, with their very blood; as long as we see our country men privately ashamed , hearing the cries of their revolted, and protesting in conscience but silent in public, or joining the oppressor in mocking the oppressed; as long as we see them wrapping themselves up in their selfishness and praising the most iniquitous acts with forced smiles, begging with their eyes for a share of the booty, why give them freedom?” – El Filibusterismo

As long as the Filipino people have not enough spirit to proclaim, brow held high, and breast bared, their right to a free society

Two people power revolutions later note how many student's hands inside a classroom will go up when a teacher asks, “Who likes to go abroad to work [and reside there permanently]?” Are there still many more remaining nationalists out there who will choose to stay put in this land and not become another country’s citizen? How many Filipinos, when faced with a direct challenge from another culture will insist on their Filipino-ness and defend it against another nation’s impositions?

Or to put it negatively, how many have embraced another way of life merely because it’s not Filipino or because it’s not “local?” Have we truly set ourselves free after we’ve gotten rid of the major oppressors (Spain =1521-1898; USA=1900 – 1960 and onwards; Japan=1942-1945; Marcos =1972-1986)when other more subtle invasions brainwash our cultural mindset?

(Just look at the current popular culture and note just how we have suspended our disbeliefs too long as we gazed at Korea-novelas and hailed [and mimicked] everything Korean!)

Yes, we have declared the OFWs as heroes who have sacrificed greatly. But are most of these sacrifices for the good of the country? Should we even ask this question or should we simply assume that everybody who goes abroad and has his or her family in mind intends to also give back to their homeland? How many will say yes?

(Inside an FX taxi, a balikbayan from Canada kept on complaining about the traffic and goes, “Mabuti pa sa Canada...dun...malamig talaga...dito...ay napakainit....sa Canada, maluwag...dito...ay napakasikip....” )

with their very blood;

After the first quarter storm in the early seventies, our generation has yet to see another of this kind of sacrifice, in the truest revolutionary sense.

as long as we see our country men privately ashamed,

Isn’t this what is currently happening in most households in developed nations: A great number of Filipinos belong to the lowest rank of workers, and among the more exploited labourers in the world. We of course take pride in the professionals out there who are truly making their mark.

But consider, back here at home, a nurse has to pay a hospital in order to have practice and experience after she passes the board exam. A teacher earns only enough to pay rent, and only rent. A policeman has to augment his income through other irregular means.

hearing the cries of their revolted

How extensive has been the documentation of their sufferings? Mostly, the noise is about successes, and any kind of success is a palliative to the ailing Filipino morale: So Hail Manny Paquiao! Cheers for Charise! All praise to the Azkals!

and protesting in conscience but silent in public,

But back here, everybody smirks at dead-end-win-some-lose-more deals reached by prosecutors of corruption. The cynicismof the young prevent them from getting involved – at least in pronouncing their anger collectively and shaming the shameless propagators of bad governance.

or joining the oppressor in mocking the oppressed;

Most, who are influential and have the means to initiate change instead play safe and just go through the motions. To preserve their interests, they hack away at every deal they could muster - the underpaid, the marginalized, the naive, the vulnerable, the ignorant be damned. Those who are in charge of basic services are at their wits end in solving crisis-after-crisis, but nobody notices their gargantuan efforts since grand scale corruption drowns all their efforts like a Tsunami.

as long as we see them wrapping themselves up in their selfishness

The ZTE scandal, the Jocjoc-Agri under the table deal, the PCSO foul plays, the GrandScale Landlordisms, the PIATCO scam, the unresolved murders of progressive journalists and social workers, the endless grandstanding in the house of representatives... and the list goes on....

and praising the most iniquitous acts with forced smiles,

We had hoped that justice will always prevail but most of the time, the guardians drop their weapons and serve their pockets. They shrug their shoulders at “isolated irregularities” saying nothing ‘major, major’ has been happening and everything is all right. In fact prison cells have all been unlocked, and greed is running amok on the streets.

begging with their eyes for a share of the booty, So when will all these stop? When can we all be truly free?

why give them freedom?”

But, yes, first, we should deserve freedom.