BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY – ALANGILAN CAMPUS

College of Industrial Technology

Food Technology Department

Ang Huling Pag-ibig ni Rizal: A

Documentary Episode in I-Witness by
Howie G. Severino

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for

Ged 103 - Life and Works of Rizal

Instructor
Mrs. Gundel Mai Calalo

Submitted by
Diata, Mekaela B.
FT-2101
 DOCUMENTARY EPISODE REVIEW
Ang Huling Pag-ibig ni Rizal written by Howie G. Severino

“Ang Huling Pag-ibig ni Rizal” is a documentary hosted and written by

Howie Severino and directed by Janus Victoria and other excellent team
members of I-Witness which is dedicated for the program’s 23th anniversary.
The love story of Rizal and Bracken is one of the most well-known
scandals happened during the Spanish colonization. Many are against this
relationship, including the family of both parties, the government and
especially the church. But do you think Rizal cares about it? Definitely not. Like
Rizal stated, they are much happier and lovelier compared to the couples who
are newly wed or already wedded. And based on Josephine’s last letter, she
said that, this is the happiest 20 months of her life in Dapitan. But is it the same
for Rizal? Or not?
Severino stated that within the consecutive years of him trying to piece
the events of Rizal’s life, the 4 last years of Rizal in Dapitan, is the most important
part of Rizal’s life and journey. But does it include the love story of him and
Josephine Bracken? How many of these journeys are stated and proven? And
how did this affect the Dapitan during and after Rizal passed away?
The documentary was filmed at Dapitan in Mindanao. This is where Jose
Rizal was thrown away by the Spanish government on July 17, 1892, as the
punishment for writing letters, articles, and novels about the hidden things
doing by the Spanish government. And this is where everything started. The
first thing Rizal can see, is the plaza in Dapitan. It might be the reason why Rizal
also added a very unique and artistic attribute in front of the church, which is
the map of Mindanao. It can be clearly seen at the top of the old church in
Dapitan and it was declared as the National Treasure, a handmade map of
Mindanao done by himself.
Every corner of Dapitan was always remembered after Rizal. The names
of every street and corners are mostly named after Rizal’s classic character
novels and others are related to him. But among those, not a lot of people
know that Rizal also have a place where he can relax and played.
Don Mariano Hamoy is Rizal’s closest friend and rivalry in their favorite
past-time game, chess. He is also a former municipal officer in Dapitan. But
despite this, Rizal is still lonely and wanted to get away from this place and
travel from different locations, but because he can’t, he had to make do of
what he has.
The most surprising part, is that Rizal won on a lotto, and he’s not the only
one who won it. It was shared with another two more people and it was about
twenty thousand pesos in 1892 but worth 2.5 million in the present day. And
Rizal bought a land in Dapitan, two kilometers away from the población using
the money he won from the lotto. The land cost about eighteen pesos and
measures about 16 hectares wide and a little bit of its land was built for other
necessary structures like house, clinic, school, and etc. The large part of the
land is a forest where he researched insects, animals, and herbs that he was
the first one to discovered. There are a lot of things he discovered and
delivered it to Europe to further studied it in exchange of books for him. The
land Rizal bought is now a protected area in Dapitan. No one can cut nor go
inside the premises of the land.
Its still surprising that although he was exiled, he still had the chance to
contribute things in the place he considered lonely and too peaceful for him.
This is something that a person like me can’t do. And it is fascinating that he
can still give lessons to the children of the town while being on the death’s
gate. Its like his enjoying the remaining days of his life being productive and still
learning despite the situation.
But the thing I find controversial or I might say, scandalous, is the group
who proclaim themselves as “Kingdom of God”, who guard the premises of
Talisay or the land bought by the national hero. The group was founded by
Filemon O. Reambonanza, or what they called the Divine Mentor or Supreme
King of the group. The theory is that, they believed that Rizal was possessed by
the spirit of God and Filemon was possessed by Rizal’s soul. This are the reason
how to group was started, from the activity of massage therapy and also
drinking the red medicine for all sort of human disease. Everything happens
and begins from how was Rizal live in Dapitan during his time.
Rizal succeed in every aspect that he can do while in Dapitan but it is
still not enough for him to not feel lonely as a prisoner. His every move is
monitored and every letter is needed to be open first before giving to him. And
because of this, the hope that stills in his heart, fades away little by little.
But because Rizal is very well-known person, some people just travel to
visit him as patients and consult to him. His one of the most prestigious doctors
in Asia and he specialized in eyes or called Ophthalmology. And because of
this, a wonderful woman from Hongkong became the reason why Rizal’s life in
Dapitan became livelier.
The 18-year-old young lady named Josephine Bracken from Hongkong
made Rizal’s heart beat again. Josephine became an early orphan and was
adopted by his stepfather named George Topher who came to Rizal to consult
and cured his damaged eye. The two had a connection and fell in love with
each other, but everyone around them object their relationship including
Josephine’s stepfather George, who have a hidden feelings towards the lady.
Among all the ones who object the relationship, the church is the biggest
obstacle they faced. Because the church won’t give their blessings towards
the couple unless Rizal retract everything, he did to tarnish the church image
and reputation. Rizal decline the offer of the church and the two live with each
other. In the eyes of the church, their love and partnership are a sin, but in the
eyes of the Dapitans, theirs are just the same as a normal couple living in a
peaceful community.
The love they gave to each other bore a wonderful child but the child
was already dead before it was even out of its mother’s womb. Both Rizal and
Josephine were devastated and Rizal buried his child without tombstone in the
land he bought and no one ever know in which part of the land it was buried.
After decades after Rizal’s dead, Dapitan is still the same place. The land
is still in its natural state, the people are good and the crime rate is low.
But why would Rizal still want to go out of this place? This is where
everything starts, but he still chose to leave with Josephine and travel to Manila
without looking back.
With all the happening in Rizal’s life, the only thing that he truly wants is
to be FREE.
The thing is, I appreciate the fact that Rizal can still do the things he
knows he wants to do. From building a clinic to school and teaching kids to
read and write and discovering things all around him. And falling in love
despite the fact that, he’s unsure of what will happened to his future. He took
it upon himself that, there are things that he can do now than later. But he still
wanted to be free and do what he always does, with the one he loves.
He's not just a hero, but he’s also a human and a man who still feels
loneliness and saddest. And this emotion makes him more human in my eyes,
because I always thought that Rizal is the very definition of the word ‘Hero’.
Intelligent, selfless, caring and brave person who is willing to sacrifice himself
for the love of hi country.
The journey of Rizal towards the remaining 4-years of his life is the very
definition of ‘Everything happens for a reason’. I might say that, his life in
Dapitan is unlike when he was travelling the world, but it doesn’t mean that
the simple things he contributed to that place is just a small part of what he
truly desires. Rizal wanted to do everything he could and I think him being in
Dapitan, he did what he could do at that time and still became the Hero we
envision up until now. It might be the reason why Rizal was thrown away in this
place, is to give a different change and different aspect or perspective of life
for him. To take him away to the place where everything is a chaos and put
him to a place where it is simple, quiet and a luxury that not anyone can have.
And if Rizal is still alive and read my review about his last love for this
country, I want to express my gratitude and I’m honored that I’m able to review
his life and be part of the small journey he had in that place. I want him to know
that the weight of the word ‘hero’ is something that he and he alone can do.
But it doesn’t mean that we don’t get your back. We are who we are today,
because you made this bridge to cross for us comfortable. You made us
remember the sacrifices and hard work you made just to make this country
free from the shackles of pain and agony. I want you to know that many might
forgot you and many might not remember you, but it’s enough that the few of
us remains to remember what you do for this country.
We owe you the freedom and happiness we are feeling right now. We
owe you the foundation of this country’s constitution and liberty. We owe you
the learning and knowledge you provide us and we owe you our lives as a
Filipino people.
Dr. Jose P. Rizal, we owe you the greatest gratitude and honor for being
our National Hero and the man who never give up for the country whom he
loves so much. Thank you.