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LOVE THE PEOPLE, LOVE THE NATION

(Ayeng, Canicosa, Camuyot, de Torres)
Serve the people, serve the nation! This phrase feels close to our hearts as it brings
back memories from ones first steps in this academe, a second home, University of the
Philippines. An Iskolar ng Bayan became familiar to these six words but then again, familiarity
might be too comfortable that it might make someone complacent. How does one truly serve the
people and the Filipino nation? From hundred years ago, Rizal and his deep love for the country
have figured it out. Studying Rizals ideas through his works, the group figured that someone
can turn his/her ordinary work into an act of service to the nation love for the country.
Rizal and the Love for the Country
Rizals deep love for the motherland was strongly reflected in one of his essays, El Amor
Patrio (Love of Country), the essay that Dr. Jose Rizal wrote when he was in Barcelona in June
1882. It is one of the strongest piece of writings he wrote which detailed his reasons behind his
love to the motherland. This essay was Andres Bonifacios inspiration in writing Pag-Ibig sa
Tinubuang Lupa (Love of the Native land) in 1896. Bonifacio, when he was 18 years-old, read
the essay when it was published the first time in Diariong Tagalog. This essay was the first to
give Filipinos the idea of nationhood and love of country, the Philippines and not the Spain. It
was also this essay that made Rizal the enemy of the Church and State. (Royeca, 2009) So,
what is this love he was talking about? For the group, here are few of the most powerful lines
about love of country he had written.
Love of the country is perhaps the most constant of emotions, if there ever be anything
constant in the human heart, and it seems, will not leave us even in the tomb. (Rizal,
1882, p. 315)
, the love for country is never wiped away once it finds a place in human heart, for it
bears the divine seal which makes it eternal and indestructible. . (Rizal, 1882, p. 317)
This essay as it also given the members of the group, a lasting impact on every hearts,
rekindling the love for the nation. As it was said in the The Indolence of the Filipinos, Filipinos
are not fools, they are not puppets who simply do as they are commanded Filipinos are
human beings, who are motivated by their will towards the accomplishment of our objectives. If
love of country is use as motivation, that is where ordinary acts into an act of service to the
nation.

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for PI 10-B.

Submitted by: Mikaela Ayeng, Dianne Canicosa, Denzel Camuyot, Jona Mae de Torres

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Love is an extremely powerful force behind most noble activities. Well, then, the love of
country has inspired the grandest, the most heroic and the most selfless of deeds.
(Rizal, 1882, p. 317)
Philippine National Heroes, Their Love for the Country, and the Ordinary People
For the love of country, one must act by putting his or her country before himself or
herself. Everything will follow after that. Heres the relevance of ordinary acts to those of the
national heroes.
Andres Bonifacio founded Katipunan which was formed primarily to fight Spain. He
formed a group that changed the countrys history. It was a way of saying enough! in the face
of the Spaniards that were in the Philippines. In connection to the present time, how can
somebody in the situation like that of Bonifacio can turn an ordinary act to a service to the
nation? Andres Bonifacio grew up in a poor family and did not have any idea of what a
comfortable life was back in their time. In the present time, no matter what a persons status in
life is: rich, poor, young, and old, that person can still serve the nation. It doesnt necessarily
mean that you would have to start a group, organization, or a movement. As long as it is for the
country, our motherland would appreciate it.
General Antonio Luna was a general of the revolution. Despite his educational
attainment, his love for his motherland his driving force to serve the country. He led armies in
the revolution. He was also an editor of the La Indepencia which was a publication during the
war. Connecting it to the modern times, even though a person has achieved a lot in life, as long
as selfishness would not overpower his/her character, he/she can always serve our country
even if by doing so, the persons line of profession would not be put to use. Also, connecting to
General Luna as an editor of La Independencia, somebody can serve the nation by informing
the Filipino people on what is happening in the country may it be good or bad. If something bad
is happening to the country, then one can give a suggestion on how to fix a certain problem of
the nation. It is also way better if that person would act because action speaks louder than
words.
Melchora Aquino is the Grand Woman of the revolution in which she helped the
katipuneros in their battle with the Spaniards. She helped by providing shelter, food and
medicine to the soldiers. In the present time, everyone can also help provide food, shelter and
medicine to its fellow countrymen especially to those who are in need. A simple act of kindness

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for PI 10-B.

Submitted by: Mikaela Ayeng, Dianne Canicosa, Denzel Camuyot, Jona Mae de Torres

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to the fellow men is a great act of service to the nation. Certainly, gender is not a hindrance. As
long as a person has the heart to help and applies it, that is enough.
Lastly, the members of the Katipunan-- each of them were eyeing on one goal and that
was to regain independence of the country. They followed orders and were willing to risk their
lives for their country. It was truly a highly respectable act of bravery. Relating it to the current
situation, as long as people work for a common goal, they can attain it. Just like what the
Katipuneros did, they followed the orders of their leaders that lead them to victory.
Philippine national heroes have a common trait and that was their tremendous love for
the country and the group thinks that it is the main factor on how an ordinary work can turn into
an act of service for the country.
Love of Country, Ordinary Acts, and the Sense of Nationalism
One does not necessarily need to wear the green scratchy uniform of the military, hold
arms and chase criminals like a police, and sit on a politician chair in order to serve the country.
One does not necessarily need to be an Overseas Filipino Worker to be a hero, despite the
popular idea of them being the new national heroes. So what does it really need to serve the
country?
Nowadays, the country lack a unified and a strong sense of nationalism. Generally,
Filipinos failed to develop the most important thing that we must have as a citizen of the
Philippines which is the El Amor Patrio.
Many professionals are leaving the country for a much higher paying job in abroad. Most
of the Filipinos do not patronize Gawang Pinoy products because as a consumer, they thought
that products from abroad are always better than Filipino products. In the music industry, foreign
music is more in demand than original Filipino music. They support foreign acts more than their
own, the Filipino artists. In telenovelas, there are few historical dramas and some of them are
not even popular in the Filipino viewers. Unlike in the Korea, period dramas are always very
much admired. Some basic and significant historical facts about of our national heroes are not
well known by the Filipinos. In an episode of Word of the Lourd: Nasa Puso natin si Rizal which
one of the members of the group just watched recently, random citizens were asked about the
Philippine national heroes and most of them lack the knowledge about it, even the simplest
facts. Even In the simplest things, most of the Filipinos lack discipline in following community
laws. Truly, serving the nation must be start within oneself. One must embrace the love of the
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for PI 10-B.
Submitted by: Mikaela Ayeng, Dianne Canicosa, Denzel Camuyot, Jona Mae de Torres

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country before thinking of serving the nation. Love for the country is significant in developing the
Filipino sense of nationalism. One must not only show nationalism by supporting the so-called
Filipino Pride or during Pacquiaos boxing fight.
Filipino people especially the youth must think of Rizals timeless challenge to serve
the nation, and him being born in a generation that produced the greatest Filipino youth.
According to Rizal, the Filipino people should dedicate their first words to the country. This
means that one should speak highly of the country especially when in other countries. These
are natural to Filipinos because they always remember their childhood spent in the country.
Even the little things from our country and memories of pain are always remembered. Through
these memories, Filipinos see parts of their future and these reminds them of their family or
people that they love who are waiting for them to come back and spend their lifetime serving
their motherland. These memories help them strengthen the bond they have with their native
soil like being attached to it just like the way a baby was attached to her mother with a cord after
birth that even after cutting it, one does not lose the love he/she have for his/her mother. This
simple act of missing the country when in other places is a way of serving the country because
no matter what the status is, one comes back to her and serves her.
Ordinary work can be an act of serving the nation. Even the smallest things when done
for the country can help turning it into a better nation. Dr. Jose Rizal said that a researcher
spends most of his time in his office and does his work with passion in his heart in search for the
truth. This shows that if a person works with full intention to make his country proud, his success
can contribute to the pride and development of the country. The farmer, who works hard to
supply food for most of us especially for his own people, also helps in shaping our nation
because we somehow become connected to each other by one person. Every profession or
every work that one does; being a farmer, doctor, engineer or even being a student, if there is
love for the country, it can contribute to the success of the nation because Dr. Jose Rizal said
that love of the country is an extremely powerful force that pushes one to fight for the native
land.
From the simple citizens, the students, the doctors, the engineers, the politician, the
policemen and the military, one can serve the country through his/ her own way. As being in the
military, they serve the nation by protecting our country. As police officers, they serve the nation
by protecting the citizens. As a politician, they serve the nation by prioritizing the needs of the
people and not for selfish decisions. As doctors, they serve the nation by providing medical

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for PI 10-B.

Submitted by: Mikaela Ayeng, Dianne Canicosa, Denzel Camuyot, Jona Mae de Torres

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attention to our countrymen in need. As teachers, they serve the nation by teaching Filipino
students. As students, serve the country by giving importance to education.
Rizal believed in the power of education in serving the nation. It was beautifully stated in
his poem, Through Education Our Motherland Receives Light.
For her are born all science and all arts,
That brows of men with laurel fair enclose.
As from the towering mountains lofty heart,
The purest current of the streamlet flows,
So education without stint or measure gives
Security and peace to lands in which he lives. (Rizal, 1876)
In this poem, hes saying that a nation can survive from any forces in the fight for
freedom. Education can silence the barbaric action of the nations and can give peace to the
motherland through sciences and arts. Education can also instill goodness in humanity as
people can think straight enough. Furthermore, education may always survive even from the
worst storm, hatred of men, and raging waves as a consequence the motherland becomes
invincible to evil forces shall be tired and fall asleep in their raging emotions. Nowadays,
education has been proven to play a vital role in building the nation through discoveries and
intelligent decision making.
A simple citizen can serve the nation by simply obeying rules. Love of country will never
disappear from us once it made way to ones heart. Love of country is forever in ones heart
through hardships and wars. It is one of the causes of the most selfless acts people have done.
Serving the nation is when one chooses to act not only for the benefit of his/her ownself,
but also for the benefit of the country and his/her fellow countrymen.
Lucky is a nation whose people love her because those people are proud of her and
have beliefs in their own ability, her leaders prioritize the common good, there is no brain drain
as most of those people do not abandon her but pour their talents for her (not for others), there
is no financial outflow because her capitalists invest their wealth primarily for her (not for
others), and constructive corrections of social defects are applied. (Royeca, 2009)
The development and success of our country lies on the hand of its citizens. With the
problems in poverty, economics, security and education that our country is facing, we must our
part to serve the country in our own way. In his letter to his comrade Mariono Ponce in 1888
stating his visions for the Filipinos, Rizal said,
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for PI 10-B.
Submitted by: Mikaela Ayeng, Dianne Canicosa, Denzel Camuyot, Jona Mae de Torres

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Let this be our motto: For the welfare of the Native Land. On the day when all Filipinos
should think like him [Del Pilar] and like us, in that day we shall have fulfilled our arduous
mission, which is the formation of the Filipino nation. (Reyno, 2012)
As Rizal said in the last part of El Amor Patrio,
Love her, yes, not in the ways of old through rough deeds rejected and condemned by
genuine morality and mother nature, but rather, by doing away with all display of
fanaticism, destructiveness and cruelty.
Every Filipino must strive for a country worthy of its independence, a nation free of
injustice, oppression, and corruption. In serving the nation, one should love the people and love
the nation!

Works Cited
Reyno, M. C. (2012, September 19). RIZALS TIMELESS CHALLENGE TO SERVE THE NATION. Retrieved
from National Historical Commission of the Philippines: http://nhcp.gov.ph/rizals-timelesschallenge-to-serve-the-nation/
Rizal, J. (1882). In S. Raul J. Bonoan, Rizals First Published Essay: El Amor Patrio (pp. 313-319). Ateneo de
Manila University.
Rizal, J. (1876). Through Education Our Motherland Receives Light. . Retrieved from Translated by Frank
C. Laubach: http://knightsofrizal.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/RIZALS-DREAM-R.pdf
Royeca, J. (2009, August 25). Rizal's Love for the Motherland. Retrieved from Philippine Studies:
http://emanila.com/philippines/rizal%E2%80%99s-love-for-the-motherland/

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for PI 10-B.

Submitted by: Mikaela Ayeng, Dianne Canicosa, Denzel Camuyot, Jona Mae de Torres