I think I may have been scammed into writing these articles. I'll delete these if I get paid, but I'm not holding my breath.
Task 1: OFWs Channel José Rizal
José Rizal led such an extraordinary life both as a private and as a public figure that it’s quite hard to think of ordinary people comparing to him. He was a certified genius. He had a brilliant mind and possessed many skills. He excelled in both the sciences and the arts. He had tremendous courage, which showed itself distinctly during that very special time in history. Indubitably not a paragon, he had his faults, but his virtues were clearly emphasized both in his life and in his death. José Rizal was a man of singular character, but he remains to be such an inspiration that his noble traits still echo in many of our modern day heroes. Considering this, for instance, we can identify the parallelisms between his life and that of an OFW’s.
Leaving Country and Family to Better Serve Them
José Rizal first went abroad to further his education in 1882. He knew that if he bettered himself, he could be much more useful in service to his own people. A few years later, he also completed his eye specialization so he could operate on his own mother. Like the OFWs of today, he withstood loneliness and the absence of most things he held dear, knowing that a sacrifice in that respect was necessary. Where José Rizal was able to contribute greatly to the Reformation Movement and acquire skills that enabled him to help his countrymen, OFWs give financial support to the nation, greatly influencing its economy for the better, as well as provide a much more comfortable life for their families.
Loyalty to the Philippines
He was clearly besotted by the charm and beauty of many of the European cities he stayed in and visited, but José Rizal remained true to his country. No matter the exquisite loveliness of the literal and figurative flowers of Heidelberg, the Philippines kept its place in José Rizal’s heart. Our OFWs, on the other hand, are able to experience and enjoy the better conditions and higher standard of living in the first world, but they continue to long for home.
Giving Glory to the Philippines
Like José Rizal, our OFWs impress other nationalities with their skills and hard work. Rizal was without a doubt an impressive man. Every time he manifested excellence, the glory bestowed on him is reflected upon his country. The same is true for our OFWs. Many of them coming from a place of hardship and poverty, the OFWs know how to work hard and well. They acknowledge better than people from more affluent nations the blessing of employment. This is why their employers appreciate them. José Rizal was also driven by the needs of his country and with this higher purpose, he performed better than his contemporaries.
Task 2: Getting to Know José Rizal
Today’s youth are burdened with so many newfangled contraptions that their attentions tend to lean more toward high tech materialistic pursuits. It is true that they are distracted. Everything comes so much more easily nowadays that the values have been modified. What was relevant 20 or 40 years ago may not have as much bearing on their lives as it did with their parents and grandparents. For many young people, it is mostly about the present and the future. You wonder if they look back and bother to know about the past. José Rizal is definitely part of the past, but he made such a mark in national history that he should be part of the present and the future as well.
Do Kids Today Still Know José Rizal?
The Department of Education is making sure that today’s pupils still learn about José Rizal. The curriculum dictates it. José Rizal is discussed in Social Studies, Sibika or whatever the current terminology for the subject is. Philippine history classes must mention him. Many universities still require Rizal classes as a general elective, such as Philippine Institutions 100 in the University of the Philippines. The question is how in-depth the knowledge is about this fascinating historical figure. Do kids today still have the lines of “Mi último adios” memorized? How do they feel about Rizal? Is he becoming more and more like a character in a story or does he remain real? Are they in awe of José Rizal? There was a time in Philippine education when Rizal was presented almost as a god. Most kids today would probably find an iPhone more impressive than a person from the distant past, no matter how wonderful.
Would They Think He Was Cool If They Got to Know Him?
José Rizal was extraordinary in every way. He was a man of many facets. His life was spent campaigning for change and his death sparked a revolution. The man was responsible for the course Philippine history took. Other figures contributed, but he was the most dominant character during that time. He truly deserves the honor of being the national hero. José Rizal was a fascinating man. He was a scholar, an artist and an athlete. His brilliance wasn’t dorky. It was his intellect that produced those novels of hard realism and those poems of marvelous romanticism. He was attractive to the ladies and he clearly wasn’t immune to their charms. He was popular and at ease at social gatherings. He evidently had plenty of charisma.
What Would It Take to Get to Know José Rizal Better?
The man must be presented as the interesting character that he is. More than the typical history lesson, discussions should also give due attention to his literature. The writings of José Rizal are very revealing. His poems are very moving and his novels very reflective of his philosophies. To reach the current generation, he must also be presented to the youth in the media and technology familiar to them.
