I've been experiencing, comprehending, and learning about Jose Rizal's life and

writings over the past few months. Students participating in this course are intended to
“develop moral character, personal discipline, and civic conscience” in addition to
reading about Rizal's articles based on the Rizal Law. Looking back, I can confidently
state that I was able to understand and comprehend Rizal's thoughts and viewpoints as a
result of the readings and lectures the class received throughout this semester.
Furthermore, Jose Rizal was shown as another human being with profound views in this
course. Although he was still portrayed as an extraordinary and phenomenal individual,
the lectures paved way for the students, including myself, to recognize his ideas is still
profoundly relevant in today’s state of our country.

Rizal, in my opinion, is still quite important. It is extremely common for

individuals to use phrases from Rizal's works or Rizal himself in order to legitimize or
back their claims or beliefs while reading Twitter or Facebook fights about the present
situation of our country. Furthermore, because nothing has changed over the ages and
because our fellow citizens still do not learn from their mistakes, Jose Rizal's opinions
and beliefs about our country are still very relevant. During class, I was disturbed and
surprised to hear that Rizal's views are still very applicable in today's society—that we
are still slaves to today's rulers and that we still lack the concept of "suffering and
working." From all of the above, my professor concluded that Rizal's ideals are either
genuinely ageless or that the country we live in has not advanced since Rizal's time. It
was absolutely mind-boggling to hear the aforementioned comments. Regardless,
whether it is owing to Rizal's timeless beliefs or our country's decline.

(a) The main idea and theme of the articles I read is about Rizal's ideals and
teachings, as well as St. La Salle's educational philosophy, and how they are applicable
now in our nation. Prof. Renato Constantino's paper, Our Task: To Make Rizal
Obsolete, stated that we are still backward, uneducated, and, to a large part, unfree. That
is why Rizal can now convey the same feeling of urgency and immediacy to us as he
did to his contemporaries. We will have become a genuinely great nation when he is no
longer legitimate, and Rizal will no longer be read for the societal realities he reveals.

However, making someone obsolete does not imply that he is forgotten. On

the contrary, we can truly appreciate Rizal's grandeur only when we have fulfilled his
goal, since only then will we comprehend the enormous worth of his ideas.

Our society will no longer be infested with Dona Victorinas when Rizal is no
longer relevant, since the triumph of nationalism will make us proud of our race.
There will be no more Basilios since everyone will regard manhood as being only
concerned with personal and monetary achievement. There will be no more Simouns
driven by personal vengeance.

Philippine society will frown on the Pasta and the other fawning and
obsequious minor officials whose only interest is to retain their sinecures. A
reorientation of our ways and our thoughts along nationalist lines will fulfill the
dreams of Rizal and at the same time make them obsolete as goals because the dream
has become a reality.

The next article, Rizal and the Underside of Philippine History, claims that the
history of failure comes to an end with the establishment of a secular, progressive, and
enlightened Republic. Rizal’s building of an useful past, to borrow a common word,
effectively elevated the position of the ilustrados, a liberal-educated elite who saw
themselves as free of the thought-world of the history-less, superstitious, manipulated
masses, the poor and uneducated. Rizal had to disregard or conceal things that
opposed his organizing mind in the act of interpretation, possibly subconsciously.
These existed on the outskirts of his life and career, but they were never really
investigated.

The indios' irrationality was developed by Spanish influence (religion +

divide-and-rule technique), and they reacted irrationally to the circumstance. Only
with the arrival of Rizal and the ilustrados did the grounds of discontent become
evident. The Filipino people are finally free, not only from the colonial Mother
Country, but also from a grim history, when Andres Bonifacio's Katipunan is replaced
by Emilio Aguinaldo's Republican administration. With the creation of the secular,
progressive enlightened Republic, the history of failure comes to an end.
 A government that fights war on the country's social problems while ignoring
the basic economic and political structures that have characterized our country for
decades is, in my father's words, a farce of democracy, according to Jose Diokno's
Rizal for Today. If we want to end injustices in the Philippines, we need to "come
together, unify, recognize, and embrace that we are all Filipinos," according to
Diokno.

Concretizing St. La Salle’s Vision states how DLSU possess and continue the
ideals and teachings of St. La Salle to the current challenges in education. For over
four score of years, the Brothers of De La Salle, have been putting through school
countless children whose parents needed financial help. Accounts of alumni who were
beneficiaries of this generosity continue to surface to this day, the latest being a year
ago. The pandemic affect every aspect in our country including the job of the people.
Three decades ago the first formal scholarship was established whereby ten high
school graduates were awarded a scholarship to the College. Prior to this De La Salle
had tried a free grade school for poor children on the campus, which did not succeed
because of socioeconomic problems.

The Relevance of St. John Baptist de La Salle to the Philippine Education is

that when De La Salle and his Brothers took up the cause of education vigorously. In
addition to the founding of schools in 22 cities by the time of his death in 1719, De La
Salle contributed significantly to the entire field of education through his writings and
innovative methodology. In 1900, John Baptist de La Salle was declared a saint of the
Roman Catholic Church. Fifty years later, Pope Pius XII declared John Baptist de La
Salle the Patron Saint of Teachers. The foundation of the Lasallian educational
tradition can be found in the vision and achievement of De La Salle who realized that,
“… not only is God so good as to have created us, but God desires all of us to come to
the knowledge of the truth.”

The Lasallian tradition emphasizes the fact that all people, especially the
young, have an inherent dignity which comes from their being created in the image of
God. For Lasallian educators, education is a means of developing this dignity for the
well-being of each student as well as for the well-being of our society. This is the
heart of the Lasallian educational tradition.
 Today, the work of Saint De La Salle is continued by the Christian Brothers,
and by dedicated lay men and women and associated religious and priests, who bring
a Lasallian distinctiveness to a myriad of educational works in 81 countries
throughout the world.

Education always assumes an envisioned future. Every student --whether in

the elementary , secondary, tertiary, or graduate level -- is being trained and prepared
for a specific role to be assumed at a future time. If a school is to exercise its
leadership and have a significant impact on social development, defining a desired
future, considering present realities, becomes an indispensable task. For it is only
when a shared vision of society is articulated and made te anchor of school goals tat
decisions relative to school administration -- as well as curricular consents, methods
and strategies -- become meaningful and purposive.

And lastly the social philosophy of St. La Salle is through God’s gentle
prodding, he saw the needs of young people during his time; being the faith-filled
person he was, he zealously formed a community whose mission is to provide a
human and Christian education to the young, especially the poor. His educational
writings, intended initially for the Brothers of the Christian Schools but could be
viewed as applicable to all who are involved in the educational endeavor, lifted the
profession of teachers to a ministry and a vocation.

If one is to agree with Broudy (1955:617), that “educational philosophers are

often motivated by a sense of social mission that impels them to device educational
schemes for reforming man and society”, then one could be led to consider John
Baptist de La Salle as a philosopher of education. His thoughts and ideas are as
relevant to 21st century educators as they were to 17th century teachers.

St. La Salle's social philosophy may not be a comprehensive philosophy of

society that offered an analysis of social structure and prescriptions for social change.
But his thoughts must be judged in the no text of the demands of his times, and indeed
they were important first steps. They opened the eyes of Filipinos and many people in
the world.
 It is therefore, essential that La Sallian universities takes the lead in
conducting research on and popularizing the valuable contribution of the Founder on
social philosophy. They should also remain committed to expanding the opportunities
available to the poor and developing their potentials through moral and intellectual
formation and the honing of their skills. Like the Founder, the administrators, faculty
members, students, graduates, and staff of La Sallian Institutions must champion the
dignity of teachers and the rights of the poor and the neglected so that they are
guaranteed a life worthy of human beings. La Salle schools must actively source
funding for scholarships, establish more schools for the poor, and where it is not
possible, open special courses for them. Only then will they be worthy of using the
name La Salle.

(b) Aside from the articles about Rizal is longer than the articles of St. La
Salle the main theme and idea of the two is similarly close and has no difference.
They both present their teachings and ideals to the current state of our country and
moreover they had impact the people nowadays.

One edge of Rizal’s article are his compositions and readings that gives us
better understanding to our country and history. His ideals and teachings helps us
understand the causes of our current problems and why they are still present
nowadays. The events in his life enable us to learn and understand to be a better
human and citizen of our country. That is why his ideals and teachings is still relevant
nowadays.

On the other hand, the edge of St.La Salle’s articles are his philosophy and
goals driven. His undying ideals and teachings that has passed on from one La
Sallians to another gives the impact of how the student face the challenges in the
world.
And me, as a proud La Sallians , both Rizal and St. John Baptist de La Salle’s
ideas and teachings help me face and understand the challenges and current state of
our country -- specifically in education.
 (c) What I reflect and learn from all the articles I read from Dr. Jose P. Rizal
and St. John Baptist de La Salle are many philosophies in life -- such as the
philosophy of the Philippines , Filipinos and even my philosophy in life.

The philosophy of a country like the Philippines is made up of the intricate

and composite interrelationship of the life histories of its people; in other word, the
philosophy of our nation would be strange and undefinable if we do not delve into the
past tied up with the notable life experiences of the representative personalities of our
nation.

Being one of the prominent representatives of Filipino personalities, Jose

Rizal is a fit subject whose life philosophy deserves to be recognized. 

Rizal’s concept of the importance of education is clearly enunciated in his

work entitled Instruction wherein he sought improvements in the schools and in the
methods of teaching. He maintained that the backwardness of his country during the
Spanish ear was not due to the Filipinos’ indifference, apathy or indolence as claimed
by the rulers, but to the neglect of the Spanish authorities in the islands. For Rizal, the
mission of education is to elevate the country to the highest seat of glory and to
develop the people’s mentality. Since education is the foundation of society and a
prerequisite for social progress, Rizal claimed that only through education could the
country be saved from domination. 

Rizal’s philosophy of education, therefore, centers on the provision of proper

motivation in order to bolster the great social forces that make education a success, to
create in the youth an innate desire to cultivate his intelligence and give him life
eternal.

In Rizal’s political view, a conquered country like the Philippines should not
be taken advantage of but rather should be developed, civilized, educated and trained
in the science of self-government.

He bitterly assailed and criticized in publications the apparent backwardness

of the Spanish ruler’s method of governing the country which resulted in: 
1. the bondage and slavery of the conquered ;

2. the Spanish government’s requirement of forced labor and force military service
upon the n natives;

3. the abuse of power by means of exploitation;

4. the government ruling that any complaint against the authorities was criminal; and

5. Making the people ignorant, destitute and fanatic, thus discouraging the formation
of a national sentiment.

Rizal’s guiding political philosophy proved to be the study and application of

reforms, the extension of human rights, the training for self government and the
arousing of spirit of discontent over oppression, brutality, inhumanity, sensitiveness
and self love.

That body of knowledge relating to society including the wisdom which man's
experience in society has taught him is social philosophy. The facts dealt with are
principles involved in nation building and not individual social problems. The subject
matter of this social philosophy covers the problems of the whole race, with every
problem having a distinct solution to bolster the people’s social knowledge.

Rizal’s social philosophy dealt with;

1. man in society;
2. influential factors in human life;
3. racial problems;
4. social constant;
5. social justice;
6. social ideal;
7. poverty and wealth;
8. reforms;
9. youth and greatness;
10. history and progress;
11. future Philippines.

The above dealt with man’s evolution and his environment, explaining for the
most part human behavior and capacities like his will to live; his desire to possess
happiness; the change of his mentality; the role of virtuous women in the guidance of
great men; the need for elevating and inspiring mission; the duties and dictates of
man’s conscience; man’s need of practicing gratitude; the necessity for consulting
reliable people; his need for experience; his ability to deny; the importance of
deliberation; the voluntary offer of man’s abilities and possibilities; the ability to
think, aspire and strive to rise; and the proper use of hearth, brain and spirit-all of
these combining to enhance the intricacies, beauty and values of human nature. All of
the above served as Rizal’s guide in his continuous effort to make over his beloved
Philippines.

John Baptist de La Salle can be compared and similarly like Jose Rizal. Their
ideals and teachings specifically their social philosophies. Both believed their
philosophies in education and life. That what the current state of our country signifies
how relevant their ideals and teaching in our life.

There was , however a difference. Rizal live up to his name as a national hero
with so many ideals and teachings left in his legacy while St. De La Salle continue his
social philosophy in life and continue it until his last breath which have been passed
on from generation to generation by the La Sallians.

(d) One advantage might be knowing about and comprehending the country's
national hero, as well as understanding why he was given that title. We can learn
about the sacrifices and sufferings that our fellow Filipinos had to undergo throughout
the Spanish colonialism by knowing all of this. Furthermore, readers have a better
understanding of that particular period of the country's history by studying Rizal's life
and works. Studying Rizal's life and works can also help us comprehend the origins of
contemporary political and social issues, as well as why they persist and why they
never truly vanished. We may be able to identify tangible answers to our county's
disease by reading and comprehending Rizal's works. Furthermore, through reading it,
we are able to see Rizal as a more human being, someone who has gone through
situations that regular people go through. Aside from the benefits already mentioned,
knowing about Rizal's life and works might inspire citizens to be more grateful of
Rizal and his colleagues, who battled for the country's freedom and the common
good. We can appreciate how hard they fought to free our nation from colonizers. In
consequence, Filipinos can be more grateful for the sacrifices made in order for the
Philippines and its people to be free. From learning all these, we can be more grateful
and more respectful towards the hero of our country , from our national heroes that
sacrificed their lives for us to be liberated to the everyday heroes we encounter such
as the doctors, nurse, teachers, our parents, etc that continue saving and teaching us to
be better citizen of our country.

Furthermore, Rizal demonstrated that the pen is mightier than the sword.
Because of his literary skills, he can persuade his whole community to seek justice,
destroying an empire. Words fly everywhere, igniting every man's emotions. As the
adage goes, every word carries both good and bad connotations. It has the potential to
heal one's heart while simultaneously causing harm to another, much like a double-
edged blade. Rizal had a God-fearing heart, which is why he was able to spark change
and peace. This means that we Filipinos must have a decent conscience and a God-
fearing heart in order to bring about beneficial changes.

Thanks to Rizal for he is inspires me and thanks to our professor who imparts
and explains all this knowledge for us to better understands it.