#jose rizal had it coming

[stephending]

You're reading El Filibusterismo right and you get to chapter 12 and then shrug something off, maybe it's a mistranslation.

BUT IT KEEPS APPEARING.

so I'll break out the question...

WHAT THE HELL IS JUANITO PELAEZ'S "HUMP"??

I've been in emotional pain whenever his damn "hump" was mentioned so I decided to check a Tagalog version,

Well. That's not any better, synonyms were also "Hunchbacked" and another word for Hunchback in Tagalog is "bukot" which translated to "hump on back" (as well as Hunchback)

So I check it in SPANISH (despite not knowing a single word of Spanish)

It didn't get any better....

So to anyone who knows, hmu😭

I don't wanna go on reading and not know what juanito's HUMP???

[mochifiction]

I Saw Transformers One Early Last Week. Let’s Talk About It!!! (SPOILER FREE)

EXPECTATIONS

I’m going to be honest, I had very very low expectations for this movie for a multitude of reasons. The first was the cast, particularly choosing celebrity hires instead of professional voice actors for a franchise where dialogue delivery means SO MUCH historically and the present. I like Chris Hemsworth, I do, but I am so attached to Orion Pax that I did NOT see him as someone fit for the role. I was also afraid of it becoming a WFC situation where the VA tries TOO HARD to be Peter Cullen. I am also a huge fan of Elita One, and Scarlett Johansson was not my first choice by any means. The one thing giving me hope was the fact that Scarlett and Chris interact SO WELL in their films together and in press releases and they do give off that Orion and Elita energy sometimes. Regardless, I was skeptical.

Now for the big thing: I was very nervous how they were going to handle the politics and the buildup that leads to Megatronus and Orion’s separation. It is no secret that Pre-War Cybertron in many continuities begins with a very corrupt and fascist Senate. Corrupted Senators, capitalistic manipulation and unethical abuse, dehumanization, corporal punishment, you name it, Cybertron had it. The concepts of functionalism, shadowplay, mnemosurgery, and empurata also come to mind. It is also no secret that the United States is on the brink of total fascism. A lot of Pre-War Cybertron’s themes, particularly the Decepticon cause in its early days as a movement, emphasized the elimination of the oppressive regime and reconstruction with an end to the very infrastructure that caused class division and brutalization of Cybertronian bodies. Not only this, but Megatronus and Orion’s schism often comes because of class, particularly privilege and lack thereof, which is something that often happens in revolution. Those with more privilege often think that reform can happen underneath the system that looms over them, just with a switching of a guard and elimination of a few policies. They are often ones who partook in and benefitted from the system by birth or for the sake of survival. Those who come from the lower classes want to burn the entire system down, understanding in its entirety that its very infrastructure is unstable and is not sustainable, no matter who is in power. Examples of this divide despite deep friendship and similar ideas is Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal of the Philippines (as a Filipino). Orion, in most cases coming from a privileged background, saw hope in simple reform after extracting the corrupt portions of the federal structure. Megatronus, who fought his whole life to be deemed as sentient, understood that the entire system was diseased and could not go on. It would just eventually continue its horrid practices. I can go on a tangent about this, as someone who studies and writes on anti-colonialism, but that’s another post for another day. My concern based on the trailers was that it would address NONE of that and there would be some watered down conflict that removed the nuances and political passion behind a lot of other continuities. The trailers, to me, were not giving me enough proof that it would be handled correctly.

Initial Experience

My theater was filled with mostly adults of various ages who were fans of different continuities. Some people were even talking about how they thought the movie was going to suck, including me with my dad, who has been a fan since G1 in the 80s and was going in blind. However, throughout the entire film, the whole theater was laughing, gasping, cheering, clapping, and screaming. Afterwards, there were people who were literally talking about how it was the movie they’d been waiting for after years of disappointment. Someone literally shouted when leaving the theater that he was so excited for September when everyone else could see it. My dad, who has not been a fan of recent Transformers material, talked nonstop about how much he loved it. Me personally, I was BRIMMING with excitement afterwards, which is huge given that I was ready to criticize the movie’s every move. Let me get into why- note this is SPOILER FREE.

Orion Pax

Believe it or not, I really liked TF1’s Orion. He was witty, had the snark of Aligned Orion, and clearly had a goal in mind: to entirely shift the status quo by breaking the class distinction. He was extremely optimistic like most versions, something that is often criticized in the fanbase, and is also criticized in the film. However, the qualities that G1 created and the Bayverse destroyed were THERE. Orion was a DORK. He was KIND. He CARED for people deeply, even if they weren’t necessarily thinking about him. He was a KNOWN PROBLEM-SOLVER. His intelligence is noted MULTIPLE times. He really is authentically Orion. I’ll do a more in-depth analysis in September.

Megatronus/ D-16

Now, THIS MAN WAS AMAZING. I am so used to the source of his anger being solely lower class-based oppression amongst other things relating to that. The film offered another option, which I will not disclose, but I thought it was a wonderful addition. I will keep my mouth shut about D-16’s personality in this film because it’s a secret, but just know this new take on Megatronus was a bit refreshing and gives new material for both fan continuity writers and fanfic writers.

Elita

I was honestly scared to see how they would portray Elita, especially with their track record of solely making her Optimus’s love interest and killing her off. I also was afraid that they would turn her into a white feminism caricature, which I can go into depth about for clarification if anyone needs it. However, the writers take feminism for Elita and take a much more in-depth route. I found her well done. She was giving mother in this film, absolutely brilliant. There will be an analysis on her as well in September, especially since they have so much intended room for her.

Worldbuilding and Additional Characters

I think that with about an hour and a half, it would have been SO HARD to create an entire world of deep political brutality and nuance like the comics directly. So, I think the writers created a framework that was good enough to convey the fascist undertones of Cybertron while also leaving so many avenues to explore and elaborate on for future films, whether they be prequels or sequels. Some characters were added in with a bit of context, but no in-depth explanations. While I would normally say that’s a downside, I think that it was actually really smart on their part. If you tried to add all of these complex stories from the comics in an hour and a half film combined with everything else, it would have likely been underdeveloped and left more questions and holes than answers. By removing that, I think that it was a smart move to expand on in their own time and with good pacing. Besides, the presence of some characters was very enjoyable and kept the audience I was with wanting more from them. Not in a “there wasn’t enough of them” way at all, but instead a “they were so cool in the short time they were here I need more now” way. Everyone in this continuity gets a new and different start. I honestly think it would give fan continuity writers motivation to continue what they’re doing, now that basic and consistent pre-war plot lines have been redone. I think for how long the movie is, they did a great job.

Additional Thoughts

I think that everything was pretty well done. The pacing was especially important, given we were supposed to witness a buildup in such a devastating “divorce”. That isn’t done lightly, and they made sure that they built it up enough to where the final blow was devastating. It was SO DEVASTATING that people in my theater were gasping left and right. The comedy was well done, as someone who hates poorly-written jokes for laughs. It fit into the characters’ personalities well, that’s what made it work well. It didn’t feel forced because that’s just how that particular character is. I also think that, as a fandom, sometimes we get too wrapped up in very specific characterizations of these individuals to the point where we refuse new ideas. I was extremely guilty of this. However, this film was truly made by someone that loved the franchise and knew exactly what the fans wanted. Brian Tyler, who did the score for TFP, also doing the score for this film was proof of that (as someone who absolutely ADORES film scores as a musician) There was a good amount of brutality within the rating of the film, so bayverse fans who are itching for something shockingly horrible are in for a surprise. I also think that it knew its boundaries well and moved not to push them while also being considerate of certain audiences who may be a bit younger. It was a good restart, especially for animated Transformers films, and I think that they can really build it into something great. This was a very sound foundation and I was not disappointed.

ALSO, THERE IS A MID AND POST-CREDIT SCENE SO DON’T LEAVE IMMEDIATELY

[sessayyys-corner]

GOMBURZA (2023) - MMFF REVIEW

“Vivan Los Filipinos. Mabuhay ang mga Filipino.”

This film is the story of the three martyr priests. Three Filipinos who were part of the native community who were once under Spanish colonial rule and oppression. If you have been updated, or have been listening in your elementary Philippine history classes, it’s GOMBURZA, not MAJOHA. 

Despite it being produced by Jesuit Communications, the film was able to execute (No pun intended) a factual depiction on a turning point of Philippine history without overused emphasis of religion. It was able to capture how the Catholic faith was used as an instrument of oppression during the Spanish colonial period (This was especially ironic considering how return of the religious orders, including the Jesuits, were the reason for the silencing of the secularization movement). What also impressed me is that almost every single detail in the movie, even in the dialogue, came from actual events in history. It is evident that enough research was made to make this film as accurate as possible.

The film’s cinematography was able to capture life during the period whether it was amongst the Filipino liberals, the Spanish priests, the Governor-Generals, or even the three main characters in our story. With every other scenes of the film shifting from light to dark atmospheres, this symbolized the reality of Spanish colonization — warmth, acceptance, and friendship amongst fellow Filipinos; and ruthlessness, inhumanity, and oppression from the Spaniards (and even traitors). Adding emphasis to GomBurZa’s (2023) cinematography is its sound design. Just by feeling the cinema floor rumbling and the deeply-voiced voiceover in the film’s ending segment, this film can come to a point where it deserves its own IMAX screening.

Dante Rivero and Cedrick Juan showcase over-the-top stellar performances as Padre Mariano Gomez (played by Rivero) and Padre Jose Burgos (played by Juan). Both actors have embodied their roles, not only due to the fact that they, especially Juan, share a slight resemblance with the real life Mariano Gomez and Jose Burgos. It is also because that they were able to portray their emotions from having a friendly conversation, to later condemning their unfair arrest, trial, and death.

Pepe Diokno's time and effort in conducting research and including every important detail in the production is evident in the whole film itself, as it was not only ACTUALLY based on true events, but was able to evoke emotion and outrage, just like how the Filipinos of the 1870s did at the time.

With all of this said, GomBurZa (2023) is not only a history lesson, but also an immersion into the Spanish colonial rule and the lives of the three priests. Being a history nerd and a cinephile who has since learned the names of the three martyr priests as a little girl in elementary, I can definitely say that this was one of the only film experiences where I had witnessed the breaking of the fourth wall. The whole time I was in the cinema, it felt like I was part of their conversation, like I was a witness to their lives and execution.

What also added to this experience was that I watched the film on Rizal Day, and what better way to commemorate our national hero's contribution to Philippine independence than to learn about where it all started? Like what I always preached to my family:

Without GomBurZa, there will be no Jose Rizal. Without Jose Rizal, there would be no Andres Bonifacio. Without all of them, the Philippines and the Filipino would not exist.

GomBurZa (2023) is a cathartic experience that is definitely for the family. This film is a testament to the importance of appreciating and learning our history. Hopefully it serves as a reminder of our collective past, national identity, and the importance of our freedom.

[Metro Manila Film Festival 2023]

(my film review of "GomBurZa" is also available on letterboxd!)

[nellycanwrite]

𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑: 𝐖𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐀 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

REQUESTS ARE CLOSED! || A masterlist of Nelly's works for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Be guided with the WARNINGS at the start of each fic and respect the appropriate age restrictions on every piece.

Happy Reading!

« Updated as of January 23, 2023 »

— 𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐊𝐀𝐍

ೃ⁀➷ His Queen

16+ || K'uk'ulkan x Filipino!Reader || In which K'uk'ulkan pays you a visit to ask you to become his queen

ೃ⁀➷ His Timeless Love

18+ || K'uk'ulkan x Reincarnator!Filipino!Reader || In which K’uk’ulkan tells you the story of the four times he fell in love with you and the three times he saw you die.  

ೃ⁀➷ God, King, and Father

16+ || Father!Namor x Daughter!Reader (Familial and Platonic Relationship) || Standalone prequel to “The Request” Series || Coming Soon.

ೃ⁀➷ Rainbow Jasmine

Rating TBA || K'uk'ulkan x Filipino!Diwata!Reader || Coming Soon.

— 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐀 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐊𝐀𝐍

ೃ⁀➷ A Request: Part 1 of “The Request” Series

16+ || Attuma x Talokanil!Princess!Reader || In which Attuma swears his undying loyalty and love for you, even if it meant being as shameless as to declare his love to a princess when he was but a mere warrior.  

ೃ⁀➷ An Order: Part 2 of “The Request” Series

16+ || Attuma x Talokanil!Princess!Reader || In which Attuma would soon realize that his own counsel would put you in jeopardy—bloodied and near death in his arms as you gave him your first order as princess.

ೃ⁀➷ A Vow: Part 3 of “The Request” Series

Rating TBA || Attuma x Talokanil!Princess!Reader || Coming Soon.

— 𝐃𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑’𝐒 𝐂𝐔𝐓: 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒

ೃ⁀➷  His Timeless Love: Director’s Cut 1

Did you know? Filipino!Reader had been reincarnated in another timeline but Namor never found her.

ೃ⁀➷  A Request: Director’s Cut 2

Did you know? Princess!Reader was supposed to die in Part 2.

ೃ⁀➷  His Timeless Love: Director’s Cut 3

A deep dive into the phrase “...his hand painting murals upon your barren back.”

ೃ⁀➷  His Timeless Love: Director’s Cut 4

Did you know? Filipino!Reader’s next mission was to save Jose Rizal.

ೃ⁀➷ His Timeless Love and A Request: Director’s Cut 5

“You came.” - “You called.”   ||   Namor’s favorite memories with his daughter   ||   The moment Namor knew Attuma had feelings for reader.

[filipinfodump]

Kabesang Tales - Isang Rap en Rol Musical

A Filipino Musical that hasn't left my mind since the mid 2010s

Poster for Kabesang Tales posted by Palakat Batangas City via Facebook

Although the Philippines is known for its many talented singers which include many that had crossed over to Broadway such as Lea Salonga, and Rachelle Ann Go, alongside many other Filipino-American talents like Conrad Ricamora, Arielle Jacobs, George Salazar, and Darren Criss just to name a few, the musical scene in the Philippines itself isn't as popular nor as successful in the country as it really should be.

Even with Filipino-majority musicals in states like the controversial Broadway musical "Here Lies Love" which narrates the life story of Imelda Marcos, one of the most controversial figures in Filipino politics and history today, and with Filipino stars often taking in lead or secondary roles in major productions, the musical boom of the 2010s did not come with a boom for the musical industry in the local level compared to the sudden popularity of American musicals like Hamilton, Heathers, Dear Evan Hansen, or Be More Chill to name a few.

The very few musicals that did garner the spotlight did not receive the same notoriety of these foreign productions save for one of the few musical movies to have gotten major media acclaim Loy Arcena's Ang Larawan (2017) (en. The Portrait) based on the 1997 play of the same name by National Artist Nick Joaquin which became a media frenzy as being maybe one of the few if not the only original movie not based on major series or created by a large production company to be released that year for the Metro Manila Film Festival. One of the things that had skyrocketed it to media attention was the fact that most theaters did not screen it and it was only shown in very few cinemas, but that's a story for another time.

Despite the time and devotion Filipino musical fans may have for theatre, rarely do Filipino made and produced musicals ever enter the pop culture zeitgeist due to many factors like the lack of advertising, accessibility issues, and honestly the lack of cast recordings. Out of the many throughout the 2010s, one of the few I was able to watch that I still think about at times is Ricky Lee's very own rap and rock musical Kabesang Tales.

Background

Photo of Ricky Lee, the writer of Kabesang Tales the Musical via Inquirer

Kabesang Tales - Isang Rap en Rol Musical) (en. Captain Tales - A Rap n' Roll Musical) is a rap and rock musical first performed in the year 2015 and was written by renowned Filipino writer and National Artist Ricky Lee. The musical was directed by Alejandro "Bong" Ramos, with music by Jeffrey Hernandez and Alfredo Ongleo, and produced by Red Lantern Production (Inquirer, 2015).

Photo of John Arcilla, the lead actor for Kabesang Tales the Musical via Inquirer

The musical stars John Arcilla as the titular character Telesforo Juan "Kabesang Tales" De Dios, famously known for his breakout role as Hen. Anotnio Luna in the historical film Heneral Luna released the same year as the musical, alongside other talents such as Dio Marco as Karyo, Kevin Posadas as Tano de Dios, Alecx Lorica as Juli De Dios among many other talented actors (Inquirer, 2015).

A cover of one of the book's translations posted by twitter user El Filibusterismo (@/joseriz15155899) via X/Twitter

The play is based on Jose Rizal's El Filibusterismo (en. The Filibuster) and more specifically, the character of Kabesang Tales, the head of his barangay (a sort of Filipino village) and father of Basilio's main love interest Juli, who had turned into a guerilla bandit after his family and life were ruined by the Spanish friars. He becomes the feared Matanglawin (en. Hawkeye) who terrorizes the countryside. He plays a minor but important role in the books, being the father of one of the main secondary characters as well as being one of the main allies of the primary characters as they tried to start a revolution in the country.

The play primarily focuses on his perspective throughout the whole book with some scenes focusing more on the main protagonists Simoun and Basilio as well as his daughter Juli.

Performances and Releases

The musical had limited performances throughout some parts of the CALABARZON Region or Region IV-A, with some select performances in Metro Manila as well as some other provinces like in Mindoro, sometime during the years 2015-2017 with some being done in local cultural centers and schools throughout the region with very limited promotion outside of news stories.

The only promotional material I could really find are some posts on Facebook and a trailer in the Red Lantern Production's YouTube channel which could be seen here:

Trailer uploaded by Red Lantern Production via YouTube

There are no original cast recordings that I could find of any of the songs and the only material that I could find besides this are uploads on YouTube of scattered scenes from different parts of the play:

Full Playlist uploaded by YouTube channel pheejaypi here

I was also able to find a collection of clips of Karyo, a character possibly named after Karyo from Mga Ibong Madaragit which is a continuation novel of the El Filibusterismo written by Amado Hernandez, played by Terrence Guillermo.

Video uploaded by YouTube channel pinoy music maestro here

I remember some time in the 2010s seeing uploads of members of the cast singing in interviews I believe but I could no longer find any of these videos.

As of now, it is unknown if the production will ever come back with the last post on the Facebook page having been in 2021 with a post prior to posted on July 2019 calling for auditions in August 2019, possibly hinting that there was a planned 2020 tour for the musical before the pandemic hit.

Photo of the audition announcement posted on Facebook

The Plot (mostly from memory)

As there's barely any material of the live musical, I'll do my best to recollect what I could remember with the aide of the actual books to guide me. Of course, spoilers for Rizal's books Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo if you haven't read them.

The plot follows the events of El Filibusterismo but mainly from the perspective of the titular character Kabesang Tales. It begins with an extremely happy and optimistic scene with him, his family, and barangay as well as the visit of Basilio, Tales's daughter's lover to their house. I remember that there was an extremely cheesy song here between the two that a lot of people squealed over.

Photo of the mentioned musical number between Basilio and Juli posted by Jayson Pascua

The perspective switches over to Basilio and his visit to his mother's grave where he is shocked to see a man there who is revealed to be the thought to be dead fugitive Crisostomo Ibarra who now goes by Simoun, a jewelry merchant from the United States. The two have a bit of an argument where Simoun tries to convince Basilio to join him and his rebellion and I don't recall exactly if there was a song, but it seems likely.

Perspective switches back to Tales as tragedy strikes as his entire family gets struck with malaria resulting in the death of his wife. I don't remember all the details here or if there was a song, but I remember a sort of depressing atmosphere for the rest of this part.

Photo showing all of the actors playing the De Dios Family posted by Jayson Pascua

The family struggles with money and friars come over to cause even more problems for them. There's a rap battle here between Tales and a friar. Here starts his downward spiral as he struggles to make ends meet as well as handle the friars that had been trying to gain his land. I don't recall if it's shown that he has to pay for a lot of lawyers, but he starts paying more and more for legal fees because of the legal drama with the friars and the government.

My sister tells me that there's a song about how good the friars are before they get properly introduced and I have a hazy memory of three friars wearing varied outfits typically associated with friars posing for the stage as people sing songs of praise and goodwill. My sister tells me that Basilio was in the ensemble here.

His son, Tano, gets drafted to the Guardia Civil (en. Civil Guard) and sent to the Caroline Islands because Tales could not pay money to prevent his draft due to their financial struggles. This is shown as a heart wrenching scene in the play where the rest of the family is left distraught.

He starts guarding his property in fear of bandits possibly taking his fields and taking whatever he has left.

Tales then gets taken by these bandits who demand ransom money for his return. There he meets Karyo, one of its leaders who tells him about the struggles of the working class and why he and the others had resorted to being bandits in the first place (?). I don't actually remember if this is the first they meet or what since I do remember that the two have a philosophical discussion about violence later and that Karyo is definitely a member of the bandits but there are scenes where he acts as the emcee during Tales's rap battle with the friar.

The bandits later lets him go back to his family where he finds that he has no one left.

Juli, in order to help with her family's financial struggles as well as pay for her father's ransom, leaves home and asks for loans and find work.

If I'm not mistaken, his father Tandang Selo goes mute with the grief of the continuous tragedies that had struck the family as well. It's hard for me to remember if this was shown in the musical.

When Tales returns, he finds himself at a loss for what has happened to his family. He is left with his daughter forced to work and his father mute. He is then met with Simoun, who comes to him as a jeweler. Simoun tempts him with some ideas of radicalization against the friars and he refuses at first before spiraling further and joining Karyo and his bandits, becoming the feared Matanglawin.

I genuinely don't remember if his meeting with Simoun was also in the musical or not but it's important context for the story.

The musical then switches perspective to Basilio, who gets implicated with a conspiracy against the government and gets arrested. A heartbroken Juli goes to Padre Camorra, a creepy priest that's been trying to corner her, to beg for his help since she saw no one else that could help her. This leads into a rather intense scene acted in shadows and lights where it is heavily implied that Juli gets assaulted.

After this, Juli sings a song about her assault where she contemplates getting revenge or retaliating but instead chooses to jump off to end her life.

The scene switches back to Tales who, unlike in the books, meet with his son again who has returned to the Philippines. This one, I know had a song in it since I remembered the extreme daddy issues punk rock vibes the scene gave off. He sang about how he no longer respected his father and that it's too late to repair things if I recall as he's now a bandit and he's a member of the Guardia Civil.

Photo of the confrontation between Tales and Tano where Tano sings about his frustration with his father posted by Jayson Pascua

Desolate and distraught at the loss of his family, Tales gets visited by a diwata (a forest spirit/fairy) and this part was extremely out of left field and absolutely not in the books.

Here, the diwata shows Tales visions of the future (???) and directly tells him, without any sort of subtlety, that the working class, and especially farmers like him, will continue to struggle in his country in the future. He is then shown a scene of farmers in a protest who were then taken down by police in what I remember as riot gear. He contemplates the future and is further given resolve to continue his rebellion.

Photo of the mentioned scene where Tales first meets a diwata who will later send him to the future posted by Jayson Pascua

Photo of the mentioned scene where Tales is sent to the future by a diwata to witness farmers being taken down by cops in riot gear posted by Jayson Pascua

Another photo of the mentioned scene where Tales is sent to the future by a diwata to witness farmers being taken down by cops in riot gear posted by Jayson Pascua

I need to cut in and say that this was so on the nose and is by far the weirdest and personally maybe the worst part of the show. I'm not even against the message, it just ruined my immersion and just left a weird taste in my mouth. I think the play was doing a plenty good job driving that point across already without the time travel diwata scene but maybe that's just me.

The scene cuts back to the climax of the story where Basilio, distraught over then death of Juli, finally joins Ibarra as they plant a bomb in a wedding reception that the Governor-General of the Philippines was attending. The scene plays out like it was in the books where the lamp gets tossed out by Isagani and the revolution doesn't start.

It goes back to a scene of Tales and his men trying to fight the Guardia Civil where he is shot and killed in action, by the gun of his own son. Tano realizes what he has done and is horrified. This leads to a song which later leads to a finale that sings about Tales as the cast come together for the curtains to close.

Photo of the mentioned scene where Tales is shot and killed by his son Tano posted by Jayson Pascua

Another photo of the mentioned scene where Tales is shot and killed by his son Tano posted by Jayson Pascua

The musical ends and the cast is called on to the stage one by one, with the loudest applause going to Basilio who a lot of the girls found hot, and of course, the man himself, Kabesang Tales.

Photo of the closing song with Tales being shown front and center posted by Jayson Pascua

After the play and final thoughts

Ricky Lee actually attended the performance I watched and I remember so many people crowding around the actors to get their autographs. My sister bought one of Ricky Lee's book, his script writing guide "Trip to Quiapo" and had it signed but she genuinely can't find it anymore sadly. My sister also got the autograph of some of the actors and the director on that same book so I'm a little miffed that we can't find it.

I would discuss more things and even show off my old ticket but I'm pretty sure that I would end up doxxing myself if I speak any more details.

That's all I remember from it and I would love to say more or even discuss the songs but as you can see, I could barely remember them, with only maybe a solid grasp in about maybe four songs.

It's a shame that it doesn't have as much of an established release and media presence because despite that one glaring issue I had with the weird diwata scene, I quite enjoyed the musical and it remains one of the few that I actually got to experience live.

It isn't Les Miserables or Hamilton, but it's still a musical I'll probably fondly remember especially since El Filibusterismo is one of my favorite books of all time with the character of Kabesang Tales being one of the most interesting — a man of honor and virtue who slowly descends into extremist violence because society had failed him. It's sad to see this musical barely recognized and very little talked about today and I do hope that it will one day return to the stage.

References

Introduction

Palakat Batangas City. (2015, May 29). "The Batangas City Government and Red Lantern Production present Ricky Lee’s KABESANG TALES - Isang Rap en Rol Musical." [image]. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://web.facebook.com/palakat.batangascity/photos/a.1543377512565520/1636600273243243/?type=3&_rdc=1&_rdr

Background

El Filibusterismo (@joseriz15155899). (2019, November 13). "#TheFilibuster Ventura's salvificact made Rizal gave his original manuscript of El Filibusterismo, a pen and an autograph printed copy." [image]. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://twitter.com/joseriz15155899/status/1194459895657041920

Inquirer. (2015, December 12). John Arcilla stars in Ricky Lee ‘rap en rol’ musical ‘Kabesang Tales’. LIFESTYLE.INQ. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/215824/john-arcilla-stars-in-ricky-lee-rap-en-rol-musical-kabesang-tales/

Inquirer. (2015, August 29). Ricky Lee writes rap, hip-hop libretto for new musical ‘Kabesang Tales’. LIFESTYLE.INQ. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/204943/ricky-lee-writes-rap-hip-hop-libretto-for-new-musical-kabesang-tales/

Lee, R. (2015, August 29). Ricky Lee: “I have been longing to do a musical, music being a driving passion in my life.” PHOTO FROM RICKY LEE [image]. LIFESTYLE.INQ. Retrieved on 17 February https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/204943/ricky-lee-writes-rap-hip-hop-libretto-for-new-musical-kabesang-tale

Red Lantern Productions. (2015, December 2012). John Arcilla. PHOTO FROM RED LANTERN PRODUCTIONS [image]. LIFESTYLE.INQ. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/215824/john-arcilla-stars-in-ricky-lee-rap-en-rol-musical-kabesang-tale

Performances and Releases

Kabesang Tales - Isang Rap en Rol Musical. (2019, July 27). Picture of the audition announcement posted on Facebook [image]. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://web.facebook.com/kabesangtalestherockmusicale/photos/a.459803204196123/1309076952602073/

pheejaypi. (2016, October 3). Kabesang Tales: Isang Rap en Rol Musical clip 1 [video]. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jftRyZOpxAA&list=PL1Yv-w-s-ETvRYsDWtaMPw2q0QO0q8Nfc

pinoy music maestro. (2021, January 1). Kabesang Tales excerpts feat. John Arcilla and Terence Guillermo [video]. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlOkDi8_D_A

Red Lantern Production. (2015, August 15). Kabesang Tales Trailer [video]. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CKKJsuBiuc

Plot

Pascua, J. (2015, October 11). Various photos [images]. Retrieved on 17 February 2024, from https://estranghero.weebly.com/photo-blog/john-arcilla-on-ricky-lees-kabesang-tales-isang-rap-en-roll-musical

[hwspirilovebot]

I believe this has to be asked at some point, what is Antonio and Piri's relationship like?

Our internalized racism (thanking Spain for uniting the ethnolinguistic groups to form the PH, Islamophobia and prejudice against Indigenous people, desiring Western validation too much, viewing ourselves as not Southeast Asian enough due to Catholicism overpowering Hindu-Buddhism, etc.) toxic machismo (patriarchy and all its consequences and misogyny and the huge support for authoritarian politicians), hypocrisy (of the Church and everything else), and a lot more can trace its roots from the Spanish colonization of the Philippines

But for Spain, era solo otro día.

The Philippines was not Spain's most profitable colony, and there are even instances of people saying it's a waste of money. Credit goes to @sweaty-clouds for these excerpts:

With the constant typhoons that damage crops and the lack of spices which Indonesia is blessed with (to be fair, Mindanao had cinnamon but Spain failed to conquer most of it.), the Philippines was better off as a trading hub for Chinese goods bound for Acapulco and Europe. Ultimately, it was the missionaries that insisted on keeping the country (that's another can of worms), and in terms of foreign policy, and the Spanish empire needs to have a hold in Asia.

I can imagine Antonio comparing Piri constantly with his peers and being disappointed but still keeping him for Christianity's sake. He rarely visits him and leaves all the work to Mexico (Nueva España, then) until Mexico became independent and Suez Canal was opened which made travelling from Sp to Ph became faster.

Piri would ask how come his neighbors are productive and Antonio would blame him for being lazy rather than Spain's late industrialization and dependence on the mining of silver and gold in exchange for Chinese goods.

Jose Rizal criticized this Spanish style mercantilism: While we see all the walls of London covered with advertisements of the products of its colonies, while the English make heroic efforts to substitute Ceylon tea for Chinese tea, they themselves begin with the sacrifice of their taste and their stomach; in Spain, with the exception of tobacco, nothing from the Philippines is known: neither its sugar nor coffee, hemp nor fine cloths, nor its Ilocano blankets . . . . The most commercial and most industrious countries have been the freest countries: France, England and the United States prove this. Hongkong, which is not [equal to] the most insignificant [island] of the Philippines, has more commercial movement than all the islands together, because it is free and is well-governed.

But I am in no way an Anglo-Saxon apologist. They are fcked up too. This has to be pointed out because there were instances in PH history where some Filipinos would rather be a British colony in the belief that the success of Hongkong and Singapore can be imitated!

The PH economy did become less restrictive when Spain lost its colonies in the Americas (deserve!). Many were afforded the right to study in Europe, hence, the ilustrados and enlightened thinkers like Jose Rizal, Marcelo del Pilar, etc. With enlightenment, comes the desire to be independent.

So, Antonio tries to be . . . more amiable with Piri. Piri appreciates it since he wants his respect but he wants equal status (as he should), equal rights, and often criticizes the church. Little Piri wanted to be the favourite and would often pray the rosary and the novena, hoping it would make him the apple of Antonio's eyes, but teenage Piri ain't taking any shit anymore because if God exists, they would favor David and not Goliath.

Then there's the Spanish-American war.

Now I heard Spain was more sentimental about losing Cuba (whether it's real life or Hetalia canon). There's the Generation '98, but it was never about Piri alone. It was about the fallen empire. Their relationship remains strained throughout the 20th century, especially when some upperclass Mestizo families in the Philippines supported Franco and were leaning towards the Axis powers, but the Philippines was trying to take in more Jewish refugees. Learning the Spanish language was also no longer required, and more attention was given to learning English since there's more job opportunities (and also, Hollywood).

Perhaps in the recent decade, Piri and Antonio are more cordial and diplomatic for the sake of trade relations and business. The Arroyo administration was active in that regard. Filipinos, nowadays, would joke about fighting Spaniards and while we do acknowledge the lingering colonial mentality and how fcked up colonialism is, we're not hostile to Spaniards. There's also this anecdote from a former teacher and her interaction with a Spaniard who said something along the lines of, "I learned about what Spain did to the Philippines, and I'm sorry. But it was the Castillans who did it! Not me, I'm from Catalonia."

But since Piri (and Filipinos) is canonically sassy, he would have visited Antonio in the midst of his financial crisis and asked, "Can I get a discount in Zara as colonial reparations?"

[satohqbanana]

Josephine

Summary: This is a translation of my nonfiction essay on Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, and his relationship with his wife Josephine Bracken. As this was first published in 2015 with the assumption that the reader would have working knowledge of Dr. Jose Rizal's life, I've taken the liberty to add helpful details and context to give readers a better picture of the topics being discussed. Note that this was NOT proofread.

Dr. Jose Rizal was in a great deal of loneliness in his exile to Dapitan City, Philippines (a decision by the then ruling clergy and government officials, following the publishing of his two "subversive" novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which criticized the Spanish colonial rule over the Philippines at the time, and his support of groups who are against the Spanish colonial rule). He was miles away from his family and close friends. Though he had plenty of lovers, none else have ever been as close to his heart as the late Leonor Rivera, his childhood sweetheart. Come the end of February 1895, his life lightened up at the arrival of Josephine Bracken.

If one would consider how real life goes, such a fairy tale romance was too good to be true. Many relationships dissolve due to the flames of passion dying out - the same flames that once blazed when they met, lonely and yearning for companionship. In Dr. Rizal's case, while he had plenty of patients, none of them became his friends or caught his fancy. It was as if he'd been truly alone, until he met Bracken.

Bracken was then 18 years old at the time. She was born in Hong Kong to Irishmen James Bracken and Elizabeth Jane MacBride. Her mother died in childbirth, and hence she was set up for adoption. The one who took her in and raised her was George Taufer, her godfather, who at the time was blind. Taufer found no doctors in Hong Kong who could treat him, and it led him to Dr. Rizal, who was famous as an ophthalmologist. Of course, in his trip to the Philippines, Taufer brought Bracken along.

In Professor Gregorio Zaide's book, Jose Rizal: Life, Works and Writings of a Genius, Writer, Scientist and National Hero, which I used as my major reference for this essay, Bracken too fell in love at first sight. It was not mentioned how so, but they already decided to get married within one month of meeting each other. "Unfortunately", Father Antonio Obach, the head clergyman of Dapitan City, did not agree to marry them, for they did not have permission from the bishop of Cebu, who held jurisdiction over marriage and other Catholic ceremonies in Dapitan City. This is possibly due to Dr. Rizal being excommunicated from the Catholic church for his critique of the corrupt Catholic clergy at the time. It is likely that the couple never got permission to marry at all, for it is also stated in Professor Zaide's book that no other priest would agree to marry them, either.

Could we call this love? Can we consider a very quick decision to marry as a serious relationship? Did Bracken truly feel love for Dr. Rizal, or was it that she was filled with overwhelming pity for the man that she mistook it for such? Did Dr. Rizal hurry their relationship for he could already foresee his death? Was Bracken simply too young to understand and make a clear decision on such matters?

Based on the above given situation, I would say it wasn't as serious. A strong and stable relationship that is intended to last long, such as marriage, is not easily formed in such a short time. Partners ought to spend time not just to learn more about each other or each other's families, but also to find within themselves the efforts and commitments they could give to the prospective married life. Such decisions should not be rushed to avoid regrets in the end.

Even in today's society, everyone is in a hurry with regards to romantic relationships. The younger generation is too eager, and the older generation is running out of time. So many end up committing grave mistakes and feeling deep regrets. Despite such stories and warnings, people keep rushing anyway. They (we) never learn.

It is possible that Dr. Rizal and Bracken were the same way. And possibly, due to their whirlwind romance and their age gap (Dr. Rizal was then 33 years old), Taufer too opposed their relationship. He tried to use suicide as a leverage against Josephine - a very abusive tactic - and it was successful.

Taufer and Bracken eventually left for the capital of Manila. Taufer never received treatment as Dr. Rizal deemed his condition incurable anyway, and soon Taufer left for Hong Kong. Meanwhile, Bracken chose to stay with Dr. Rizal's family in Manila.

In the book* that Professor Merriam Bernardo Cesar lent us for our project, it is said that Dr. Rizal's family thought Bracken was a spy sent by the clergy, a threat to Dr. Rizal's life. This is understandable, as around that time, someone pretended to be a relative in an attempt to steal Dr. Rizal's letters of correspondence with actual relatives and friends.

Eventually, Bracken made her way back and reunited with Dr. Rizal. In Professor Zaide's book, it was stated that since no one would give them the sacrament of marriage, the couple went to a church, held hands, and accomplished the ceremony themselves. If man can't do it, God himself will do it. They were not legally husband and wife, but they lived as though they were, which caused a lot of rumor-mongering in Dapitan City.

I've seen something similar in an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. In a dilapidated church, which had the cross by the altar intact, the titular characters too held hands and made their vows by themselves, with no one else - not the clergy, not their families, and not even their friends - to support them. How pitiful such couples are. Two individuals who firmly decide to love each other and be with one another, separated by the selfish interests of other individuals. Perhaps I'd been wrong in my initial assumption of the depth of Dr. Rizal and Bracken's relationship.

It is also written that they were eventually blessed with a child the following year, 1896. However, the child was born premature, lived for three hours, and was named by his father after his own father: Francisco Rizal y Bracken.

Such a tragedy is truly unfortunate and very sad to think about. As Professor Cesar said in our interview with her, it is only Bracken who Dr. Rizal ever had a child with. Even the name that he gave to their son was the same name as his own father. Due to this, I can conclude that Bracken was indeed very, very important and dearest to Dr. Rizal's heart. I have been mistaken in my limited judgment.

If there was something even sadder to think about, it is the couple last moments together. There are those who say that Dr. Rizal and Bracken might've been married, with actual priests present, just before Dr. Rizal was shot in Bagumbayan, Luneta, Manila. (Dr. Rizal was eventually tried and sentenced to death by firing squad on December 30, 1896, months after his son's birth and death.) Dr. Rizal's last gift for Bracken was a book with the words, "To my dear, unhappy wife, Josephine." How agonized the two must've been - Bracken, who was so young and had already lost a child, and Dr. Rizal, who before loving her, loved his nation and homeland so dearly he'd give up his life and his own happiness defending its rights.

And this nation that he prioritized over anything else, has not yet seen a true sliver of freedom even until today.

Tis truly a tragedy.

[teenxskylar]

Ano ba talaga gender ni teenxskylar?

Back in 2015, I was a minor, blogging a bunch of heartfelt posts about my special person. I was scared to reveal my gender back then, given that the lgbt community was not celebrated pa that time. 2015 was the experimental year pa noon, tolerated naman ang karamihan na miyembro ng lgbt (hanggang ngayon pa rin naman, tolerated lang tayo, hindi celebrated, pero this topic is for another blog) and I wasn't ready to come out yet. Hence, I blogged anonymously and with that ang daming nang bobombard sa inbox ko noon. Kung babae raw ba ako or lalaki, kung babae raw ba ako bakit ganun ako mag blog parang lalaki raw yada yada.

I admit sobrang nakakapagod, I can't blog in peace. Hindi ko alam bakit dati kailangan ilabas ko pa gender identity ko para lang tigilan ako ng mga tao. Hindi ba pwedeng basahin niyo na lang ang mga kalandian posts ko back then huhu, gusto ko lang magkwento tungkol sa mga naging crush ko na hindi ko maikwento sa mga kaibigan ko kasi hindi pa ako out noon? Grabe sobrang big deal ang gender talaga noon 'no? Parang hindi nila mababasa ang blog mo if di mo i-indicate yata sa hashtag kung babae ka ba, lalaki or bading. Although I had my own faults din, nilito ko ang mga tao, pinaglaruan ko sila with my gender, minsan nagrereveal ako na babae ako, minsan lalaki, pero at the end of the day its not my responsibility to feed people's curiosity. Ika nga ni Jose Rizal, "my blog, my rules." eme

And I'm thankful na ngayon naging safe space ko na ulit ang tumblr, wala na ang mga toxic people noon na nang abuso ng pagkabata ko, they took advantage of my age knowing na madali akong maniwala pa noon. Kilala niyo kung sino kayo, pero hindi ko na kayo maalala hehe.

[xcesgrace]

                                                Sus Novelas.

Compassion, and Nationalism. What are really a Hero willing to do? How far can a Hero can go? Some might think that, being a Hero is having a God-like superpowers, or in a deep more realistic way, a Hero must already shed a blood, dripping from its weapon. In the case of our National Hero, Jose Rizal. He didn’t shed a blood but instead He shed inks, the words of truth dripped from his weapon, a pen. In his time, violence was its utmost presence and social injustice was prevalent, Rizal dealt societal issues especially the ferocity coming from Spaniards with his novels Noli Me Tangere, and El Filibusterismo. Learning about these books and remembering how oppressed the nation had been for all those years. I can definitely see why Rizal penned these novels—to let his fellow citizens know that now is our chance to take a stance. I've come to see that these novels taught us Filipinos—or should I say, not just Filipinos—to abandon using violence as the only means of reaching independence, or in any aspect of our life. However, all of it comes at a price, one that he must pay with his life in order to free the country and its people from tyranny. His legacy continues on as a light for all Filipinos to put up their best efforts for the advancement of the nation and for educating the people. Furthermore, his life is an inspiration that every Filipino should aspire to in the sense that everyone benefits from our societal contributions. Rizal’s way on how he  fought for injustices in society still touches our soul, it’s like a wind that passes every time, and we keeps on inhaling it. As a youth, and the light of the future it is our allegiance to fight for our country, from those who want to take it in their hand. We are the voice of our nation; it is our responsibility to speak for it if we see negligence especially from our very own government.  By making our fellow citizens aware of these wrongdoings and encouraging them to be attentive against it, we may express our opposition to them in our community. We have the rights to do such things, as we are now in a democratic country which is very unlike to what the situation before. No matter how rich you are, and to those who have positions of authority in the government, we should constantly be reminded to treat people the way they should be treated—that is, with love, respect, and equality. And those are what Noli Me Tangere, and El Filibusterismo taught us. It is undoubtedly a useful resource for teaching patriotism to students as part of the national education. I sincerely hope that his sacrifices were never lost or forgotten, especially by Filipino youths. Let us at least acknowledge all of his acts as recompense for him, and at the the least, respect him with our utmost nationalistic heart. 

[mayadoesfandomstuff]

Ya know, now that I'm rereading the Noli, I forgot how snarky Jose Rizal I'd like holy shit he was already making fun of people in the first paragraph

Bro didn't had to come right out the gate to say that Capitan Tiago (and by proxy Filipinos) was closed minded lmao

[apopcornkernel]

trick or treat!

(may I request to hear something about your current fave WIP? any fandom!)

jing yuan/fu xuan from hsr, set during the propaganda movement!!!! i've actually already posted a snippet of this already

it's. admittedly crazy. the characters are from a chinese game set in a xianxia type of world, but i read ranichi's wonderful sherlock propaganda movement fic (isang suri sa escarlata, tagalog for a study in scarlet) and realized: hey!!! i can do that too!!!!

couple in the fact that we're currently learning this topic in history and boy was i absolutely ready to go hehe

the propaganda movement is basically what we call the political efforts of filipinos during the late 19th century, where they were circulating "propaganda" to bring awareness to all the problems the filipinos experienced as a peoples colonized by spain. a big portion of its proponents were ilustrados, basically middle to upper class filipinos who went to europe to get educated and brought back these notions of liberalism and nationalism. the propaganda movement had several goals but the main one was for the philippines to be recognized as a province of spain and for the filipinos to be granted the rights of a citizen — the movement calling for complete independence would be a little later!

"but poppy," everyone is secretly wondering, "how the fuck did you put chinese people in a filipino nationalist movement"

SURPRISE!!!! ✨ mestizos de sangleyes ✨ (chinese mestizos)

the chinese routinely immigrated into the philippines over the centuries, and a sizable portion would also stay and intermarry with local women! our (unofficial) national hero himself, jose rizal, was ⅛? chinese i think!

so i made jing yuan a mestizo de sangley who's currently in europe with the rest of the propagandists! but then i thought to myself, idk, i kinda don't want to also do that to fu xuan. and then i remembered!! chinese people were STILL coming to the ph to do business or to come settle, like it's not just a one-time thing. so i made her a newer immigrant hehe

this is where my advantage as filipino chinese kicks in, because a HUGE portion of chinese immigrants, then and now, come from the province of fujian. the heritage language would be hokkien for a lot of people including jingfu WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE I CAN SPEAK IT 💥 (sort of. hashtag diaspora struggles) 💥

soooo. i think that's kinda it HAHAHA but yeah while i was (and am still) researching things for this au i discovered i actually, really really really enjoy reading up on this stuff 😭 especially learning about the chinese presence in the philippines bc even tho im relatively "newer" (around early 20th century i think) it's still something to see how your culture has impacted and continues to impact the country you live in hehe. like do you guys know tagalog also has many hokkien influences!! and some filipino/spanish sounding surnames like lacson, tuazon, etc are actually derived from hokkien words!!!! its very cool long story shirt hehe

thank you sm coco for letting me ramble about thissss <3

[asknarashikari]

Nico: You’re Hakubi, right?

Sara: Eh? What’s going on?

Nico: Come with me!

Sara: E-eh? I still have work to eh?

Boss: Go on Sakurai, I don’t know why she just referred to you as a ‘Hakubi’ but she seems insistent on taking you.

Sara: Eh?

Boss: Your task is to accompany our new shareholder, Saiba Nico-sama to wherever she goes.

Boss: She specifically asked for you.

Sara: But what about my workload?

Boss: We can pick up the slack.

Sara: Eh?

Nico: Come on, Quick!

Sara: Eto… Saiba-sama…

Nico: ew, sama, call me Nico.

Sara: Hai, Nico-san, where are we going?

Nico: Where else? To the arcade!

Sara: Eh?

Nico: Close the door, and we’ll get right on the way.

Sara: Hai…

---door closes and the car starts----

Nico: So ,Kamen Rider, huh?

Sara: Where did you hear that?

Nico: Let’s just say, I’m acquainted with a certain pink Rider…

Sara: The one who’s raiding fridges and uses any place as setting for their passion?

Nico: Kinda. But I’m mostly referring to Kamen Rider Ex-aid.

Nico: I know how harrowing being a Rider must be, especially if you have a 7-5 job to balance.

Sara: Did you specifically search for me?

Nico: Kinda.

Sara: I’m just here to provide you with some form of relaxation.

------

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDPnAlNhD84 Nico: Damn, you’re good at playing Lucky Chloe.

Sara: Not as good as you, Genius Gamer N *pouts*

Sara: Why didn’t you tell me you were N?

Nico: *whispers to herself* was I this bad with M?

Nico: It didn’t came up naturally.

Nico: So is Lucky Chloe your main?

Sara: Not really, I go between Josie, Asuka and Anna.

Nico: For using a character that’s not your main, damn your good.

Sara: I’m just really good at games.

----

Keiwa: Had fun at the arcade today?

Sara: How’d you know?

Keiwa: Hojo-sensei, told me someone named Ns plan for you.

Sara: Yeah, I had fun.

(note Josie is the Filipino representative for Tekken her full name is Josie Rizal)

I'm vaguely aware of who Josie Rizal is. I'm not really sure how representative she is of my country since I don't play Tekken (or any video games for that matter) anymore, but from first impression alone... yeah, I don't think so lol

(Ftr the person she's named for, Jose Rizal, is the national hero of the country and generally acknowledged as a bamf)

I guess it's nice of Nico to seek Sara out like this, though unusual for her character. She's usually more... confrontational about it? Yeah, let's go with that. And I think she wouldn't really play with someone like Sara since she would want someone who could actually present a challenge. So they'd probably do something else...

[neihlll]

"Finding Purpose"

A young child named Miguel formerly lived in a small town in the Philippines. As a young child, Miguel had a keen curiosity and enjoyed discovering new things. He spent most of his time reading and dreaming about faraway lands. Miguel embarked on an adventure to learn more about his country and its people. He visited many provinces and talked with local leaders and activists, who shared their experiences and challenges with him. The things he heard touched Miguel, and he was determined to make a difference.

He once stumbled into a bunch of kids who were residing on the streets. They'd been abandoned by their relatives and were fighting to make ends meet. Miguel realized he had to help them and use his knowledge and creativity to come up with a solution. Miguel wrote articles and fought for the rights of children and other less fortunate individuals in his country.

Miguel's activism was noticed, and he was eventually targeted by the authorities. Miguel's bravery and determination, on the other hand, motivated others to continue his work, and his narrative spread across the country. People began to regard him as a modern-day Jose Rizal, and he became a symbol of hope and change.

He kept fighting for the rights of his fellow Filipinos after his release from prison. He utilized his platform to motivate people to fight oppression and work for a better future. His legacy lives on, and generations of Filipinos have been inspired by his bravery and determination.

Miguel's story demonstrates the importance of knowledge, perseverance, and the courage to speak up for what is right. Miguel's adventures, like those of Jose Rizal, led him to understand his purpose to make a difference in the world.

[janramonel]

The Story Behind My Interest in Poetry

Poetry was introduced to me and piqued my interest when I was in 7th grade. I just started writing a poem to impress my crush back then. Several weeks and months had passed; poems became more than just a mere love letter. It became my past time, my safe space, and allowed me to cross the border between reality and fantasy. It gives me confidence to share my craft with my friends and Facebook followers. One time, I just found myself busy constructing a piece so that I could post my amateurish poem in my Messenger story. Through poetry, I can vent out my emotions whenever I feel anguish, bliss, love, anxiety, or adoration. Poetry never fails to make me feel better when my chest is lingering with melancholy.

A year ago, I stopped writing poems. I felt unmotivated and illiterate, and I haven't written even a single line. The urge to write poetry has completely vanished because of my depression. On November 8th, 2022, I wrote a poem entitled "Pagbabalik," my first poem since the last quarter of 2021. The interest didn't just come back as an interest but also became my passion. Back to the present, I've already written hundreds of poems, but I haven't kept some of the older ones. The poems are usually written in Filipino, for I'm much more creative when I'm using my native language. Most of my pieces are about love under the aliases Uno and Protacio, which constitute 75% of my entire work. The most memorable piece of mine is entitled "Tagtuyot," which was commended by one of my teachers, whom I look up to. Other notable pieces are "Labindalawa," "Tinta't Tangis," and the untitled poem about the moon that have been posted along with this one. 

Protacio, one of my aliases, is obviously inspired by a prolific poet, essayist, and novelist, Jose Protacio Rizal. Rizal's unparalled expertise in writing is the reason I kept on writing. This interest became a dream: a dream of becoming the Rizal of the 21st century. However, over the years, I gave up on becoming Rizal, and now I dream of becoming known for my own style of writing—the Uno that will be known around the world.

[nellycanwrite]

Hear me out

What if Noli / El Fili were a no-powers AU namor x reader (except ybarra/namor's... The heir/prince of talokan)

Imagine Namor in the setting of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and fighting for Philippine Independence

Note: This prompt is based off of a novel called Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) and its sequel El Filibusterismo (The Subversive) written by the Philippines' national hero and activist, Jose Rizal. His works are published discretely to expose the Spanish colonial abuse in print. He describes the pain of the Filipinos under Spanish rule through his writings and was executed for treason against the Spanish empire. His works have inspired the Filipinos to rise up and claim Philippine independence.

Disclaimer: This No Power AU will not feature Namor having Spanish blood, nor will he have any ties to the Spanish conquistadors as respect to his roots in the movie. He is a native-born illustrados; a native blood, educated man of class who is a part of the Propaganda Movement whose writings inspired the calls for Philippine Revolution. For the purposes of accuracy to the time period and setting, however, the characters will be speaking in Spanish.

Avaleine please istfg DON'T TEMPT ME TO WRITE THI—

Imagine a Noli Me Tangere No Powers AU of K'uk'ulkan where he is a native-born illustrados, heir to the riches and land of Talokan, the land his mother left him after her death.

Imagine him coming back from his education from Europe to attend the funeral of his mother, only to find out that the friars of the church and the Spanish politicians hid the reason for his mother's murder.

Imagine K'uk'ulkan erecting schools for those with the same native blood as him so he could teach his kin to be educated enough to fight for their rights in the unfair regime of the Spanish.

Imagine K'uk'ulkan meeting you—his beloved fiance—after years of being apart, only to disappear again as he uncovers the secrets of the Spanish regime and the corruption of the Catholic church.

Imagine him promising you that he would return, but it would be months before you would see each other again. You longed to be with him, but you could not do anything when he is wanted by both the state and the church.

Imagine your peers, your father, and the church pressuring you to call off your engagement with Don K'uk'ulkan. You never wanted to break off the engagement, you never wanted to be betrothed to another man, but you had no power during this era; where women are treated as objects for men's fancies.

Imagine K'uk'ulkan never bearing the same mindset as other men. He always respected you, always told you that you were perfect. But now your engagement was forcefully nulled. And now you are heartbroken.

Imagine him fighting for the freedom of the same people with same plight as him, but he soon realizes that he made a much bigger enemy of the Spanish than he originally thought; and it was all because his mother tried to fight off the Spanish when they had so wrongly mistreated her people—the same people that K'uk'ulkan so desperately tried to protect in the place of her deceased mother.

Imagine him faking his death after the sacrifice of his dear friend Attuma and escaping to Spain to hide with the riches his mother had given him in her last will. He would grieve the death of his closest friend, but he continues on to amass more wealth and fame so he could fight the Spanish regime with his newfound power.

Imagine Attuma's last words before he pushed K'uk'ulkan away to escape the guards who are chasing them; “I can neither love my country or be happy here, but if I were to die here, to spill my blood for my countrymen, then I would suffer a thousand deaths and perish in the soils of which I came.”

Imagine, on the day before your arranged marriage that was hand picked by your father, you read the news of your lover's “death.”

Imagine you telling your father that if he really loved you, if he truly did love you as his daughter, then he would call off the marriage.

Imagine that you only put up with this arrangement in the first place because you could survive through your betrothal with just the knowledge that K'uk'ulkan was alive. But now that he is dead, you could not live with the thought of marrying another man.

Imagine turning to your father, tears falling from your eyes, as you declared; “I wish not to marry any other man, father! My beloved is dead—my K'uk'ulkan is dead! If you still claim to love me as your daughter, then call off the marriage! If not, then it is either the convent or the grave.”

With great reluctance, your father allows you to enter the convent and become a woman of faith; for the death of your beloved was enough for you to vow your chastity upon the Lord and turn away from wandering eyes of men who wanted your hand for your riches.

But you never knew that K'uk'ulkan was alive. Under the guise and a fake name, he continued to build his own riches, his own power, his own empire just he could return to your arms and save his suffering countrymen.

And in a few years, he comes back for you, tricks the people who staged his supposed death (and killed his best friend Attuma).

And now imagine him, going up to you near the entrance of your convent with a smile; you could not recognize him for he was disguised, but he seemed...familiar.

“Hola, señorita. I am Namor. Your father must've told you about me, no?”

AVALEINE YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME ISTFG NFBWHWHDJWJWJDJBDHWWJWK SCREAMING RIGHT NOW TRULY

[riszellira]

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

Reflection: Missing the Light

I was thirteen years old when I experienced one of the worst typhoons I can remember on the night between October 18 and 19, 1985. For months after that, there was no electricity and water. I had to bring pails and other containers and line up with the men and women of the neighborhood to fetch water from a hand pump. Classes resumed even if there was no electricity. To make matters worse, it was the time for quarterly examinations. I remembered our school principal saying: “Try to get used to studying by the light of the candles or kerosene lamps. Jose Rizal became successful in the same way.” And we all laughed.

But, indeed, it was difficult. It went on like that until one afternoon in December, when it was almost time for Christmas vacation, I tried switching on the lights and discovered that there was electricity. Our faces were bright that evening, enjoying the light that we had missed for about two months.

We came to appreciate the light that night and the days that followed because we had yearned for it for a long time. Even if we had become used to the darkness or insufficient light, there was always room to hope for more illumination.

There are two possibilities that may happen when it comes to missing the light: either we get used to it and no longer look for it, or we yearn for it and it gives us joy with its brilliance.

Jesus told His disciples that we are the light of the world. Have we gotten used to the insufficient light given by others? Are we missing the light that should be shining? If each of us take seriously the call to be light to others, then we will have a bright world.

~Fr. Joel Camaya, SDB

How do you let your light shine? Do you also help others to shine by bringing out the best in them?

Lord, let me give You glory as I shine Your light. Amen.

Prayer

… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.

… for the strength and healing of the sick.

… for the healing and peace of all families.

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

GOD BLESS!