Love of Country

LOVE OF COUNTRY
Theme: “ Embrace Rizalism As a Way of Life”

Official entry: National Rizal Oratorical Contest
By Kristoffer Morada
Rizal Technological University
“Viva España! Viva España! Viva España! Muerte a los Traidores!”

These were the irritating shouts and abominable invectives by the Spanish spectators on the 30th
of December 1896 as one lifeless body fell on the ground, after his public execution by musketry
at Bagumbayan.
“... I have always loved our poor country and I am sure that I shall love it until my last moment,
in case men betray me. My career, my life my happiness all I have sacrificed for love of country.
Whatever happens, I shall die blessing it and hoping for the day of its freedom.”
Are there any other parting words sweeter, more noteworthy, and more feeling than these words,
which could have come only from just one man – DR. JOSE PROTACIO RIZAL?
From whence did this man draw his brand of courage to the point of spurning and scorning
death in the face? And who among us could readily forgive an enemy and die loving his
murderers?
And then, again, he also said,“ What matters death, if one dies for what one loves, for native
land and beings held dear?”
Let me ask you – who among us, today, can sacrifice his personal interests for love of country.
You? You, perhaps? Not even one of us can willingly commit himself and surrender his interests
for the service of mankind without favorable returns and practical reasons. Who among us can
forgo personal affections for the people’s sake? Tell me. Was there any justice for this man to
have died in the hands of his foes to prove he cared for his people?
No other man, in the annals of Philippine history, has exceeded his bravery, gallantry, and
unwavering love for his country. No one, even among the new breed of heroes, has equaled or
outclassed his greatness. What makes his life worthy is that, he is both a hero and a common
man like you and me, with weaknesses and limitations.
Mind! He was very amorous, so some historians said, but perhaps, his weakest point as a man
was to love his country more than his love for himself. This set him apart from you and me. This
made him a hero. We claimed him to be our National Hero; then, we should spread his passion
and heroism.
Fellow countrymen, we are no longer under the dominion of the Spanish tyrants nor are we
supposed to be dogs on leash in the hands of the Americans nor do we have to vow to the
Japanese flag but do we feel free?
No, we have not freed ourselves! See how the power of democracy has been abused! Feel how
the littlest of our people are treated in the society, how the poor plead for justice, how we
destroy one another for self-aggrandizement.
Our government reeks with irregularities. Do we blame the powers that be? We feel browbeaten
and unjustly treated. Do we accuse the government? We go out into the streets and shout to the
high heavens how rotten the government is. Have we solved any problem at all? We hold rallies
and strikes but at what cost? DR. JOSE RIZAL once said, “The tyranny of some is possible only
through cowardice and negligence on the part of the others.” As we blame the government for
all our miseries, we blame ourselves. He believed, then, as we believe that such indiscretions,
misdeeds and imprudence may only be dissipated through proper education.
DR.JOSE RIZAL was an ophthalmologist, a teacher, a farmer, a businessman, an inventor; he

was all of these and more only because of a strong foundation in education, only because his
mother was his first teacher. She was able to inculcate in Pepe the love of education. This is
exactly what he, in return, wanted us to have – EDUCATION. This is the only way we can
alleviate all the miseries, difficulties, hunger and ignorance of our people. We may never be all
that DR. JOSE RIZAL was as a person but we can become the teacher like he was, whom the
young minds need today so that they can be moulded and guided to become the genuine youth of
tomorrow. We can become the farmer like he was then we can help feed millions of Filipinos by
introducing better crops, rich produce and harvest. We can become the doctor, the businessman,
the writer, the inventor and all that ever he was– if we are educated.
Can we become like what he was without the tender loving care that only a mother could give?
Don’t ever think that we can we possibly talk about RIZAL without mentioning the women in his
life! Please allow me to talk about the kind of women he appreciated. Women, DR. JOSE RIZAL
believed, must give importance to education. He admired the Filipino women because of their
devotion, fine manners and hospitality. But these are not just the qualities that women must
possess. DR. JOSE RIZAL once remarked of the Filipinas, “ If only they can cultivate their
intellect by education and by taking more interest in worldly affairs, they can command the
respect of all men.” If the women are uneducated, irresponsible, indolent and immoral, then who
will give light to the world?
If you have a son like me whom you imbued with love of education, motivated to work for his
fellowmen, and reared with love and affection and there are millions and millions of women like
you with sons like me, wouldn’t this land be a land of the truly free?
If we love our country we should never forget how our heroes, much more our national hero,
shed blood to free us from tyranny. We should bring to mind, every step of the way, the desire of
DR. JOSE P. RIZAL to attain freedom through the most peaceful means possible. If all of us
young and old, men and women, rich and poor, will think, act, and work for our country, we can
sleep peacefully in the night knowing that tomorrow is another beautiful day
sEnsueño de mi vida, mi ardiente vivo anhelo,

¡Salud te grita el alma que pronto va a partir!
¡Salud! Ah, que es hermoso caer por darte vuelo,
Morir por darte vida, morir bajo tu cielo,
Y en tu encantada tierra la eternidad dormir.
“My lifelong dream, my deep burning desire, This soul that will soon depart cries out: Salud! To
your health! Oh how beautiful to fall to give: To die to give you life, to die under your sky, And
in your enchanted land eternally sleep.”
If there is one ISM that we are supposed to live and breathe all the days of our lives, it is
RIZALISM, LOVE OF COUNTRY, A WAY OF LIFE.

Love of Country

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What ISM did Rizal believe the Filipino people should live and breathe all their lives?

What qualities did Rizal admire in Filipino women?

LOVE OF COUNTRY

Theme: “ Embrace Rizalism As a Way of Life”

“Viva España! Viva España! Viva España! Muerte a los Traidores!”

DR.JOSE RIZAL was an ophthalmologist, a teacher, a farmer, a businessman, an inventor; he

sEnsueño de mi vida, mi ardiente vivo anhelo,

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