De Guzman, Leonora Patricia L.

2010-34091 Rizalthe Greatest Filipino Communicator of the Century

July 6, 2011 Comm.100

Ang bayan ay naghihirap; ito ay nakalugmok sa isang matinding krisis pinansyal; lahat ng tao ay nakaduro ang mga daliri sa kanilang kapwa na sanhi diumano ng kasamaan, ngunit walang sinuman ang nangahas na harapin at kabakahin sila! (Rizal J.P., 1889) If I have not cited Dr. Jose Rizal as the author and 1889 as the year, you would have surely assumed that the statement above is from a newspaper that is just recently printed in the country. It is exactly 122 years ago when Dr. Rizal wrote this statement, but until now, we see no difference with the people and with the government system of this Third World Country. The statement of Dr. Rizal still leaves an impact on us and in the present condition of the Filipino society at present. This is the power of Rizal as the Greatest Filipino Communicator of the Century. Schramm and Roberts, in the book Process and Effects of Mass Communication, summed five different definitions of the word COMMUNICATION into three main points. First, communication is based on the idea of transfer of information. Second, definitions of communication rest on the idea of influence or effect. Third, communication gives emphasis on human relationship. From these three main points given to us by the two authors, let us now study how Dr. Rizal, our national hero, was able and is still able to move minds and create a great impact to the people and how he made them (referring to the Filipino people of his time and of the present, and the colonizers of that era) respond to the messages he relays through his works and through the life he lived during his time. Wilbur Schramm tells us that communication relationship includes three elements and. The elements are the communicator, the message, and the receiver. The first act in the process, according to Schramm and Roberts, is that the communicator does his best to create signs (verbal or nonverbal, auditory, visual, or tactile) in which he expects for particular favorable responses. The receiver two kinds of action then selects among the stimuli available to him, selects the content of the message he chooses, interprets it and disposes of it as he is moved to do. That is the second act in the process. In addition, the two authors say that the acts are separately motivated, but brought together by the collection of signs we call the message.

It has been a big issue whether or not Dr. Rizal was a reformist or a revolutionary. But one thing is certain; Dr. Rizal opened the minds of his countrymen of the abuses of Spain through Noli MeTangere, El Filibusterismo, and several other literary works he wrote. Ambeth Ocampo, in his book Rizal Without the Overcoat published in 1990, even discusses Rizals Third Novel (a sequel of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo). Ocampo says that it has remained a big question, because of the existence of about half-a-dozen unfinished novels. He awakened the fire of nationalism in the hearts of his people that urged them to go against the prevailing system in the Philippines that time. Despite establishing La Liga Filipina, a peaceful reformist movement, in 1892, Rizal was arrested as a revolutionary agitator and banished to Dapitan in Mindanao. His reformist ideasand the futility of asking for reforms in
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the face of Spanish intransigencewould inspire his countrymen to eventually mount a

revolution. The works of Dr. Rizal created several different feedbacks. These feedbacks were not all in favor of what he expected as a reformist. For the revolutionists like Andres Bonifacio and the Katipuneros, his novels called for uprising and violent revolts. On the other hand, Spaniards, most particularly the church and the state, took Rizal as a threat for their colonization in the country that as a response, they had him arrested charging him for encouraging people to go against the government and do revolts. These feedbacks, though did not favor Rizals expectation, shows that he was able to mix the processes of informational and persuasive communication perfectly. We can vividly see here that Dr. Rizal was truly a great communicator because he was able to create and send powerful signs/messages that moved the hearts and minds of his countrymen toward making a change for the nation, and on the other hand, made the colonizers tremble in fear of meeting their shameful defeat. The impact that his messages made during that period still impacts us in our context today. Scholars and researchers are intrigued about every angle of Dr. Rizals whole being. Cesar Adib Majul wrote A Critique of Rizals Concept of Filipino Nation in the book Rizal on His Centenary. In his section about Rizal and Revolution, Majul discusses an intriguing connection between the last chapter of Noli Me Tangere and the Ultimo Adios:

Quezon, Manuel III (ed.), Rizals Homage, 20 Speeches that Moved the Nation. Pasig: Anvil Pub., 2002.

It is interesting to note that in the last chapter of the Noli, Elias exclaimed before he died: I die without seeing the dawn brighten over my native land! You, who have it to see, welcome itand forget not those who have fallen during the night! About ten years after this was written and not long before he died, Rizal wrote in the Ultimo Adios the following lines: I die as I see the sky brightenannouncing the day after a dismissal night the subject of the above quotations is the same, except that while Elias dies without seeing the dawn, Rizal claimed to have caught a glimpse of it [the transformation between the first quotation to the second fraught with significance]. Could it be possible that Rizal was led to believe that the Filipinos were beginning to develop a sense of national community as partially demonstrated by the Katipunan uprising? When Rizal said that he was willing to have his blood shed to add color to the dawn and thus hasten its full unfoldment, was he not willing to give his life in order to set himself as an example, and thus add enliven the sense of community feeling among the Filipinos? And have we forgotten those who have fallen before and during the dawn? This critique by Cesar Adib Majul is an example of how a single message can give several different meanings. This is a concrete example of how to go beyond the surface of the message. Schramm and Roberts say, messages very seldom have a single purpose, and that very often the manifest content is not the important content at all. Rizals genius and greatness in communication manifested through his works cannot be all discussed in this short interpretative paper. Before I end, Id like to show you a letter that Rizal wrote. According to Ambeth Ocampo, in June 1892 Rizal left two sealed letters with a Portuguese friend to be opened and published after my death. Rizal explained in these letters that he was returning to the Philippines to show by example that Filipinos knew how to die for principles. The letter that I am about to show you contains messages that are appealing not only in their context before, but are also appealing in this new generation. I myself is honestly challenged by this. [italics by Ambeth Ocampo] The step that I have taken, or am about to take, is undoubtedly very risky, and it is unnecessary to say that I have pondered on it a great deal. I know that everyone is opposed to it but I realize also that no one knows what goes on in my heart. I cannot live knowing that many are suffering unjust persecution because of me; I cannot live seeing my brothers [hermanos] and their large families persecuted like criminals. I

prefer to face death and gladly give my life to free so many innocent persons from this unjust persecution. I know that, at present, the future of my country gravitates in part around me; that with my death, many would rejoice, and that consequently, many are longing for my end. But what am I to do? I have duties of conscience above all else; I have moral obligations toward the families who suffer, toward my aged parents whose sighs pierce my heart; I know that I alone, even my death, can make them happy by returning them to their country and the tranquility of their home. My parents are all that I have, but my country has many sons still who take it to advantage. Moreover, I wish to show those who deny us patriotism that we know how to die for our duty and for our convictions. What matters death if one dies for what one loves, for ones country and for those whom he loves? If I know that I was the only pillar of Philippine politics and if I were convinced that my countrymen were going to make use of my services, perhaps I would hesitate to take this step, but there are still others who can take my place who can take my place to advantage. Furthermore, there are those who find me superfluous and in no need of my services, thus they reduce me to inaction. I have always loved my poor country and I am sure that I should love her until my last moment. Perhaps some people will be unjust to me; well, my future, my life, my joys, everything, I have sacrificed for love of her. Whatever my fate may be, I shall die blessing my country and wishing her the dawn of her redemption.2 The letter above, according to Ambeth Ocampo, illustrates why Rizal is our national hero. Now, as receivers of this message, how are we to respond in this challenge laid down before us in this new generation? How are we to make a change for the benefit of our own country? Weve got to have that change of heart and a change of mindfrom self-centeredness to selflessness.

Ocampo, Ambeth. Why Rizal is the National Hero. Rizal Without the Overcoat. Pasig, Metro Manila: Anvil Pub., c 1990.

References: Schramm & Roberts (ed.). 1971. Process and Effects of Mass Communication. University of Illinois Press. Ocampo, Ambeth. 1990. Why Rizal is the National Hero. Rizal Without the Overcoat. Pasig, Metro Manila: Anvil Pub. Quezon, Manuel III (ed.). 2002. Rizals Homage. 20 Speeches that Moved the Nation. Pasig: Anvil Pub. Majul, Cesar A. 1963. A Critique of Rizals Concept of a Filipino Nation. Jose Rizal on His Centenary. Quezon City: Office of Research Coordinator, University of the Philippines. Gagelonia, Pedro A. 1962. The Wit and Wisdom of Rizal as Reflected in His Works and Writings. Manila: M. Colcol.