FB reminded me of a blogpost I wrote in 2015 about the movie Heneral Luna. At that time, FB had a section for blogposts. I wonder why this blogpost is still in FB memories when the Blog or Notes section on FB had been deleted already. Since the Blog/Notes section of FB had been deleted, I am reposting this in this blog.
Incidentally, when this movie was being shown, there was a bit of a controversy. Some students wondered on social media why Epy Quizon, the actor portraying Apolinario Mabini, never stood up in the whole film. Many people, including then President Benigno Aquino III, lamented the fact that many young Filipinos nowadays do not know their heroes.
Personally, I found that quite strange. Since Grade II, I had known about Filipino heroes. We had memorized their names, their aliases if any, their sobriquets, their titles, etc. As grade school pupils, we had been quizzed about them countless times. There are just quite a few of them, anyway. My mind boggles at the thought that many Filipinos have never heard of Apolinario Mabini, the Sublime Paralytic or Gen. Antonio Luna, the greatest general of the Philippine Revolution.
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Heneral Luna
Jamal Ashley Abbas 26 September 2015 3-minute read
Although the script is simplistic and does not show us the depth of character of Luna, and the other protagonists in the film, it’s a good film to introduce historical events to most Filipinos.
But it must be remembered that those times were not only complicated but dangerous. Everything was touch and go, and no less than the life of a nation was at stake. To wage or not to wage a war was not an easy question.
The Katipunan could not win over the Spanish forces. But with the US armada in Manila Bay, the Katipunan led by Aguinaldo defeated the Spanish forces outside of Manila.
There were also anti-Imperialists in the US and they were against the Treaty of Paris. McKinley did not have enough votes to ratify the treaty. A war with the Filipinos would give them the votes. And when the war indeed erupted, the US Senate ratified the treaty by a margin of ONE VOTE!
Had the Filipinos not taken the bait and insisted on peace instead, perhaps the US Senate would not have ratified the Treaty!
Aguinaldo sided with the freedom-loving revolutionaries led by Mabini and Luna for as long as he could. But as the war with the US went along, the forces of the pro-US ilustrados led by Pedro Paterno grew stronger by the day. Until they forced the hand of Aguinaldo to let go of the Mabini Cabinet and appoint a new Cabinet headed by Pedro Paterno.
Luna and the Paterno Cabinet could not possibly work hand in hand. Somebody had to go. Surely, Luna had his own plans, too.
Oh, Paterno was not an ordinary man, as portrayed by the comedian Leo Martinez. He was a famous personality known to both Filipinos and the Spaniards. He studied at Ateneo and Spain, where he studied Philosophy, Theology and Law. He inherited a great deal of wealth, was responsible for the Pact of Biak na Bato, President of the Malolos Congress, and later Prime Minister and head of Cabinet, replacing Mabini. He was a very powerful man. And he became the number one supporter of USA colonization.
Also, it’s a pity the film does not show more interesting facts about Luna’s Lady Love.
Her real name is not Ysabel. It is Ysidra Cojuangco. The Republic’s Treasury was under the charge of Luna since he had to give salaries to the soldiers. He entrusted the treasures (cash and kind donated by the people, including treasures from individual churches and towns) to Ms. Cojuangco.
That treasure is said to be the reason why until now the Cojuangcos are still lording over us.Incidentally, for the coming presidential elections, Benigno Cojuangco Aquino is supporting Mar Roxas, Danding Cojuangco is supporting Grace Poe and Peping Cojuangco is supporting Binay. Whoever wins next year’s elections, we will still be under the Cojuangcos. Thanks to Heneral Luna!!!
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See: the sequel of Heneral Luna: GOYO: Debunking Heroes: the Magdalos then and now
Postprandial Musings, 2.0 