THE VIEW FROM RIZAL
On Monday next week, June 12, the nation will mark its 125th Independence Day.
We join our fellow Filipinos as we celebrate this important date in our history with the theme “Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan” (Freedom, Future, History.)
We laud the National Historical Commission for coming up with a theme, which will help us understand the meaning of “foundation” — the things and events in life that help define who we are as a people. We believe this year’s theme will help us all understand that our ability to create a bright future for ourselves and our children is founded on freedom.
Our appreciation of the freedom we enjoy today is founded on our understanding of history — the saga of the Filipino men and women who gave their all just so we can enjoy the sweetness of Independence.
We encourage our readers to pause briefly on June 12 to remember and say a prayer of thanks for the sacrifice of our forebears who stood and fought for our independence.
A day before that, June 11, Rizaleños will do the same: Honor the leaders of the province who were key to the creation of a separate, free, and independent Rizal province.
This coming Sunday, the province will celebrate the 122nd anniversary of its founding, an event that the province refers to as its own “Independence Day.”
When we reflect on the story of Rizal’s own “Independence Day” we will learn three valuable lessons. Lesson one: “Independence” is a choice. Lesson two: It is also a responsibility. Lesson three: That one has to prove that he or she deserves “Independence.”
Prior to June 11, 1901, there was no Rizal province. The towns and cities which would eventually become part of the province were formerly part of two erstwhile provinces: The province of Manila and the province of Morong.
As the story goes, in February of 1901, the then-American supervised government decided to redraw the geopolitical subdivisions of the country. The intention was to create a more civilian type of government. We are told that more than 200 delegates to the Philippine Commission gathered to discuss and debate that issue.
A heated debate brought out as a proposal to merge the then-province of Morong with the then-province of Manila was brought up. The proponent said Morong was not strong enough nor fit to be an independent entity. The house was divided between those who agreed with that position and those who opposed it.
Two gentlemen stood out among those who fought for an independent Morong province. The first was Hilarion Raymundo, who once served as an officer of Philippine forces which fought against the Americans. The second was Jose Tupas who would later become governor of what eventually became Rizal province. They are now giants in the province’s history.
It would have been easy to capitulate to the pressure to unite Morong with Manila. Manila was then already the center of government and commerce. It would have been convenient for the people of Morong province to agree to live in the shadows of the bigger, richer neighbor.
However, the advocates of independence took a firm stand.
On June 11, 1091, the Philippine Commission approved the creation of an independent province which was named after the man who inspired Philippine Independence – Dr. Jose Rizal.
Independence did not prove easy for the new province. It will be recalled that what started as a province with 29 municipalities was eventually dismembered following the creation of Metro Manila in the late 1970s. Cynics predicted that Rizal may end up as nothing more than a backward neighbor of the bustling metropolis.
History must have proven them wrong. The province, which survived with 13 municipalities and one component city, has performed well — perhaps, even beyond expectation.
Instead of allowing itself to be reduced to an independent but backward province, Rizal transformed itself into one of the richest, most competitive local government units in the country today.
Dr. Rizal emphasized the need for the Filipino to prove that he is worthy of independence.
Perhaps, he meant to ask us what we intended to do with our independence. He probably meant to ask whether or not we saw independence both as a privilege and responsibility.
When Rizaleños were given their “independence” on June 11, 1901, they made sure they did exactly what the national hero asked them: Treat it as both a privilege and a responsibility.
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