CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – A descendant of National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal on Thursday called on historians not to delve into historical and biographical researches that indicate “Filipinos fighting each other instead of fighting the common enemy.”
Gemma Cruz-Araneta, Rizal’s great grand niece and the Philippines’ and Asia’s first beauty queen to win the Miss International crown in 1964, aired this call during the observance of “History Month”, with lecture series at Gallery 6 at the Museo ni Rizal sa Calamba (MURC) Thursday afternoon, where she was among the guest panel of reactors.
“Meron namang mga historyador, pinag-away-away ang ating mga bayani. Pinag-away si Rizal, Bonifacio. So, sa isip ko, bakit naman nila ginagawa yan (There are historians who are pitting our heroes against each other like pitting Rizal with Bonifacio. So, in my view, why should they do that),” Cruz said.
“Hindi naman sila nagaaway. Kasi nung mga kapanahunan nila noon, merong naging mora na Marxist mythology. Pinilit nilang isaksak sa loob ng Marxist mythology sa Katipunan, sa rebolusyon ng Pilipinas, na dapat may class struggle, nag-aaway-away na masa at mga mahihirap (They are not fighting. Actually, during their time, there is the mora on Marxist mythology. They tried to instill this (mora) within the context of the Marxist mythology into the Katipunan, the Philippine Revolution, that there should be a class struggle, the clash among the masses and the poor),” she said.
She said that historical accounts revealed that even Bonifacio translated Rizal’s untitled poem into Tagalog and put its proper title, and in fact, distributed this to the Katipuneros to serve as inspiration. She warned that a distortion of the country’s history – such as this “in-fighting” among heroes – could also result in fighting among present day Filipinos.
She said it was Rizal, who broached the idea to tap the rich during their time to help in the struggle for liberty. She lauded the young crop of historians who are adept at going into extensive research from the language use, lectures, styles and approach as they present history to the younger generation.
She also shared copies of her book “Rizal’s True Love,” a product of her own documentary research, intimate and informative writings and compilations of column articles about her National Hero great grand uncle, Rizal, to the participants made up of teachers, students, government cultural and arts council officials and historical association members.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP)-MJRC hosted the lecture series for the “History Month” celebration themed “Kasaysayan: Tuklasin, Mahalin, Palaganapin” (History: Discover, Love and Promote), which featured resource speaker Historian/History professor Jonathan Balsamo, who also heads the Valenzuela City Tourism and Culture Arts department.
During his lecture presentation on the memoirs of Dr. Pio Valenzuela in his talks with Dr. Jose P. Rizal in Dapitan as references, Balsamo admitted the varying perspectives on how national and local histories were presented.
“Napakarami pong perspectiva ang ating matutunan sa ating kasaysayan. Hindi lang po iisa. Ito po ang aking version lamang dahil sa pagsasaliksik dahil ang bawat bayan natin ay may kasaysayan at may kwento (There are a lot of perspectives that we could learn from our history. It’s not only one. This is my version according to my research because each town/locality has its own history and story),” he said.
Balsamo, who is also secretary of the Philippine Historical Association (PHA), also urged history writers, students and teachers to get as much direct and primary sources and research – not only from teachers, government, textbooks, and valid references – as there are controversies arising from varying contexts by historians compared with real sources.
“Kumbinsihin natin ang ating mga mayor, barangay captains na magsulat din dahil meron din silang mga kwento sa bawat bayan natin. Yan ang kailangan natin ngayon, maitala, ma-irecord at ang pagsusulat, ang proceso pinag-aaralan yan (Let us convince our mayors, village chiefs to write because they too have their stories from their respective localities. That is what we need now – to note, to go on record and the writing process also goes through extensive research),” Balsamo said.
He said that Valenzuela’s memoirs that have been validated were direct sources as these documents were written by him as a first person account during his visit and talks with Rizal while in exile in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte.
“Makakakuha tayo ng mga bagong pagtingin mula sa mga lumang dokumento (we could obtain new insights from the old documents),” he added, attributing the significant nuggets in history are those obtained from primary sources.
He also presented the history of the Valenzuela memoirs and documents sourced from the 14-page collection “Collecion Rizalina’ of Dr. Jose Bantug, which was typewritten at his residence in Polo (old name of Valenzuela), Bulacan on May 27, 1914 through a transmittal letter.
He said the document with no original title was later titled by its owner to “Memorias de Mi Viaje a Dapitan”, following a suggestive phrase in Dr. Valenzuela’s transmittal letter accompanying the manuscript, almost two decades from the date of the visit of Valenzuela to Rizal in 1896.
He said the original manuscripts that were written in Spanish were destroyed during World War II but early on, the said Valenzuela memoirs were translated in Tagalog by Arsenio Afan “Ang Pinag-usapan Namin ni Rizal nang Dalawin Ko Siya sa Dapitan” – Mga Pagtatapat ni Dr. Pio Valenzuela kay Arsenio Afan published in the Liwayway magazine on Dec. 26, 1930.
He disclosed that another Pagsanjan-born historian and UP faculty Gregorio Zaide translated the Spanish document into English in 1931, but this too could not be located until the National Historical Institute (NHI) officially published the English translation from its Tagalog version, considered as the 3rd version in 1978, by Luis Serrano.
“Marami din namang mga kwento, version at interviews sa ating himagsikan na nag-contradict sa isa’t-isa (There are a lot of stories, versions and interviews about our Revolution, that are contradictory),” he admitted, attributing this to varying perspectives according to interviews with the ranks of young and old Katipuneros, although the NHI-validated source is Dr. Pio Valenzuela’s memoirs.
In Valenzuela’s memoirs, Rizal wanted to give priority to education and enlightenment among Filipinos rather than a bloody revolution saying Filipinos were not prepared that time as they had inadequate arms, money and foreign country’s support.
“Let us draw some contextual analysis in studying the details and narratives of Dr. Pio Valenzuela during his talks with Rizal,” Balsamo urged.
According to Balsamo, Valenzuela was elected from the Katipunan hierarchy as emissary to Dapitan in his trip dated June 15, 1896, disguising himself as Andres Bonifacio’s brother Procopio, along with Raymundo Mata, a blind man, and Rufino Magos of Barrio Binakayan in Kawit, Cavite; and Rizal’s common law wife Josephine Bracken, sister Narcisa Rizal and Angelica Lopez, Rizal’s niece.
Valenzeula’s memoirs also include the Bulakeño doctor’s conference with Dr. Rizal in Dapitan, two sessions at the Secret Chamber; meeting of the Katipunan Leaders with the Japanese Admiral; First Rally of the Katipunan; and the printing press of the Katipunan and the Kalayaan. (Saul Pa-a/PNA)
