Was the revolution started by Andrés Bonifacio for filipinas to become independent from Spain which paved the way for the birth of our nation- Filipinas not finished? From a colonial status to national status, was that revolution not finished? Did this not pave the way for our constitution, our academia militar and a new identity- a nation?
This was the basis why our republican army, our newly developed defense system lead by Gen Ricarte, Gen Luna, and other filipino generals defended Filipinas with their blood- our blood. It was a nation defending an invading foreigner. It was a defender versus an aggressor. It was that clear and simple. For those among us who have a clear concept of nationhood, no foreign aggression is ever justified.
When the north americans came, in 1898, they pretended to be part of that revolution by projecting an image of a midwife helping us to be separated from Spain until we were born as an independent nation. They further pretended to have been protecting us, and nurturing us towards maturation.
This north american deception was what led Aguinaldo to a confusion. And lacking in proper education, he did not have any concept of nation. He could not distinguish our former status- a colony before 1898, from that of the new one- a nation after 1898, he could not see the north americans stepping into our territory as already that of foreigners trespassing. He thought that the north americans were just another colonizer taking over the status of the former colonizer which was Spain. And to him, the issue was, whether the north americans whom in his perception is the new colonizer, is a good or bad colonizer merely colonizing separate tribes and petty kingdoms just like the inhabitants of what is now the present Philippine Archipelago in the 16th century.
This accounts for the situation handling conflict between Aguinaldo, of mediocre education and intelligence and Luna of excellent educational background and high intelligence.
Our status after 1898 was already that of a nation. The north americans or any foreigner stepping into our shores without our properly allowing them automatically assume the invader or aggressor status. When we fought them, our status already became that of the defender. We did not remain revolutionaries or insurgents as if the invaders we were fighting were not foreigners but established authority, and our conflict have been merely internal.
We have to breach this strong wall our invaders until today have been building around us which for decades have castrated our soldiers into never developing beyond counterinsurgency capable who have been merely auxilliaries of United States Armed Forces. We have to breach this strong wall separating us from our inherited nation and being disintegrated to behave individually for the benefit of our foreign invaders. After we have started the breach, we can start behaving as a nation with our own problems to settle among ourselves, organic needs we need to address, and a destiny to pursue.
José Miguel García
6 comments:
None can stop you calling it a war
The victors will always call it what they want.
We Filipinos are the vanquished.
But that shouldn't stop you and I from calling it what it is: A war!
No amount of complaining will change how the conquerors describe the episode.
We'll just have to keep on telling the truth until they stop telling their lie.
VICENTE CALIBO DE JESUS
This is what I am doing Vicente. I am trying to stimulate us filipinos and not the invaders, to first think about the meaning of our present situation and see the cause in the past. Then hopefully we will be able to see for ourselves that it is indeed a war. In fact the war is not over yet so long as that invasion at whatever level is still continuing and there are those who among us are still resisting it.
I came along to your blog by chance, and I find it very interesting.
For a person who sincerely loves your country and who enjoys the company and friendship of Filipinos everytime I find them, it is very interesting to read what Filipinos write and think about their issues, including history.
Greetings from Spain, a country which cannot forget the Philippines, and who only wishes to re-build a strong social, cultural, economical and political bond with our friends in tha Archipelago.
Gracias Francisco, por el esfuerzo de escribir en Ingles para que te puedo comprender. Escribo y hablo Español mal.
El tiempo pasado es muy dolor para nosotros. Pero el mas importante es hoy. Hay muchos españoles hoy quienes son cariñosos a los filipinos. Hay muchas cosas que necesitamos que hacer para edificar un relación nuevo.
Un abrazo de Filipinas.
Perdoname, comprendo, escribo y hablo español mal.
tu español es suficiente para comunicarnos y no hay nada que perdonar. Además, filipinos y españoles nos comunicamos inmediatamente y, casi, sin necesidad de palabras. Lo importante es esa corriente natural de simpatía.
Mucho ánimo y mucha suerte con el blog. Y adelante.
"...nos comunicamos inmediatamente y, casi, sin necesidad de palabras." I agree. There are many ways to communicate other than words. La sinceridad es mas elocuente que las palabras.
¡Gracias Francisco!
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