Tambuling Batangas Publication July 04-10, 2018 Issue | Page 5

OPINYON
Hulyo 04-10, 2018
Calamba remembers Rizal on his
157th Birth Anniversary
CALAMBA CITY, Laguna
– The city remembered the
Philippine National Hero,
Dr. Jose P. Rizal during the
celebration of his 157th
Birth Anniversary, through
a wreath-laying ceremony in
the City Hall and a program
at Museo ni Jose Rizal last
June 19, which formed part
of the month-long Buhayani
Festival.

“May isang manunulat
ang nagsabing may dalawang
dakilang araw sa buhay ng
isang tao: ang una ay ang araw
ng kanyang kapanganakan
at ang ikalawa naman ay ang
araw na natuklasan niya kung
bakit siya nabubuhay, (A
writer once said that two of
the greatest days in a person’s
life are the day he was born
and the day he has found the
reason for his existence,)”
said Vice Mayor Roseller H.
Rizal.

For Rizal, it was the
day when he realized that
the freedom of his fellow
Filipinos is being suppressed,
the Vice Mayor explained.

“Isa
itong
bagay
na gumising sa kanyang
kamalayan na ang isang tulad
niya ay nararapat na kumilos
at tumindig para sa tao at para
sa bayan, (This realization
pressed him to step up and
fight for the people and his
country.” This is why his
life is dearly remembered by
Filipinos on his birthday, he
added.

He urged everyone
to let this celebration serves
as a means to remind every
Calambeno and each Filipino
that true heroism is doing what
is good toward fellowmen and
nation.

City Mayor Timmy
Chipeco remembered the life
of Rizal as both an honor and
a tragedy. “Ito ay dahil siya
ay nakilala dahil sa kanyang
pagkamatay pero dahil sa
kanyang
pagkamatay
ay
nakilala ang kanyang talino
sa pamamagitan ng pagsulat
niya sa kanyang libro, (He
was recognized because of his
death and because of his death
his intellect was made known
due to his written works,)”
said the Chief Executive.

Contemplating
on
the message Rizal wants
to convey in his writings,
Chipeco
said
this
hero
presented the cancers and
filth of the society during his
days. Hitherto, he said, Rizal
remained hopeful as he upheld
his belief that the youth is the
hope of the nation.

“Hindi
natin
kailangang magpabaril sa
Luneta… ang kailangan lang
ay gawin natin ang ating
Inside the National Museum of
Natural History
By Roel Hoang Manipon
THE
country’s
newest
museum aptly opened on
International Museum Day
on May 18. The National
Museum of Natural History is
one of handsomest and modern
museums in the country today.
For many what has been more
amazing about its opening
are the long queues of people
who want to get inside. On
the opening day, some 3,757
people reportedly visited
the museum. On May 20, a
record-breaking 8,000 people
trooped to the museum.

In a country with
a dearth of appreciation
of museums, and arts and
culture in general, this was
unprecedented. Never mind
that this number is bolstered
by the free entrance offered
on opening week, and the
fact that many seemed more
interested in taking selfies
and
constantly
breaking
simple museum rules such as
“no touching.” Paying for and
respecting cultural artifacts
can be tackled later on. For
now we may rejoice in a new
museum.
***

Experiencing
the
museum begins with Tree of
Life, inspired by the shape of
the double helix of the DNA,
where the elevator brings the
visitor to the fifth floor where
one starts the journey of
knowledge and enlightenment,
laid out in 12 galleries.

The fourth to sixth
floors, which house several
galleries, the rooftop garden
and function rooms, are still
under construction and will
open within the month.

Near the Tree of Life
is a replica of the saltwater
crocodile, Lolong, caught
in the Agusan Marsh. At
about 20 feet long, It was the
largest crocodile in captivity.
Its skeleton hang at the
Ayala Reception Hall and its
skin is being taxidermied.
Also in the hall are the
remains of the Rhinoceros
philippinensis, dated 709,000
years ago, hunted by what is
now considered the earliest
hominids to settle in the
island. These were excavated
in Rizal, Kalinga.

At
Gallery
IX:
Mangroves,
Beaches
and
Intertidal Zones, there is a
replica of a mangrove forest
with
taxidermied
crabs.
Gallery X: The Marine Realm
has replicas of a submarine,
a whale shark and other large
marine creatures.
***

The National Museum
of Natural History completes
the National Museum of
the Philippines complex at
the Rizal Park, converting
the Department of Tourism
building, which was formerly
the Agriculture and Commerce
building, into the country’s
first and biggest museum
dedicated to Philippine flora,
fauna and natural resources.
“This project was initiated in
1998, with the approval by
President Fidel V. Ramos of
the National Museum Act,”
said Ramon R. del Rosario,
Jr., chairman of the Board
of Trustees of the National
Museum, in a message for the
opening. “This landmark law
designated three historical
government
buildings
in
Rizal Park as the home of
the National Museum: the
Legislative Building on Padre
Burgos Avenue, and the twin
obligasyon at responsibilidad
bilang ordinaryong mamayan
at tayong lahat ay bayani na,
(We do not have to be executed
in Luneta… we just have to do
our respective obligations and
responsibilities as citizens and
we can be heroes,)” he said,
pointing out that diligently
performing one’s obligation
and responsibility already
makes a hero.

“We can be our own
heroes… We don’t have to do
extraordinary things, we just
have to do the right thing,” he
said.

Laguna
Governor
Ramil Hernandez described
Rizal as the most famous child
of Laguna.
“Batid sa kaalaman ng lahat
ang katalinuhan ni Rizal sa
iba’t ibang larangan, ngunit
mas higit dito ay ang malalim
na pagmamahal niya sa ating
inang bayan, (Everybody
knows of Rizal’s intellect but
what is even greater is his
love for our motherland,)” the
Governor said.

He
narrated
how
Rizal amused people because
of his huge head when he was
born; believed to be a sign of
his spectacular acumen. But
more than possessing such
high intelligence, he said,
Rizal owns a bigger heart as a
patriot of his beloved country.

“Patunay ng kanyang
kabayanihan ang kahandaan
niyang talikuran ang marangya
at lubhang matiwasay na
buhay para lamang ipaglaban
ang kalayaan, (His heroism
was highlighted when he left
his comfortable life to fight
for freedom,)” Hernandez
added.

Rizal was born, lived and died as a real hero which
is something that we need
these days, the Governor said.

“The entire Filipino
nation owes a great depth of
gratitude to Dr. Joase Rizal
for his brilliance elevated the
statue of Filipinos throughout
world,” said Special Assistant
to
the
President
(Sap),
Secretary Bong Go.

Go professed that he
and President Duterte idolize
Rizal.

“Kagaya
niya,
sumusumpa kaming labanan
ang lahat nang kasamaan
sa ating lipunan. Handa rin
kaming itaya ang aming buhay
para iangat ang dignidad ng
bawat Pilipino at ipagtanggol
ang dangal ng ating bayan.
(Like him, we vow to fight
against the ills of our society.
We are all also willing to risk
our lives to help raise the
dignity of each Filipino and
defend our country’s honor.)”

He expressed hope
that the life of Rizal will
inspire every Filipino to have
the same courage and valor in
serving the nation.

The Secretary was
the Guest of Honor of the
celebration.

Another highlight of
the event was the awarding
of the recipients of “Gawad
Buhayani” that recognized
two valiant Calambenos such
as the late Capt. Geronimo
Aclan of the Philippine Army
Air Corps (the forerunner
of the Philippine Air Force)
who fought during the World
War II, and Corporal Jaffee
O. Amisola of the Philippine
Army who battled during the
Liberation of Marawi last
year. (Joy Gabrido, PIA4A)
buildings
that
originally
housed the Department of
Agriculture and Commerce
(later Tourism) and the
Department of Finance in the
eastern area in Rizal Park
known as the Agrifina Circle.”

The Finance Building
is now the National Museum
of Anthropology, while the
Legislative Building is now
the National Museum of Fine
Arts, opened in 2001.

“Then-President
Benigno Aquino
III
in
2012 agreed to support the
conversion of the Tourism
building into the National
Museum Natural History as
one of his administration’s
major projects under the
Department of Education. In
line with this, the Department
of Tourism vacated and turned
over the building in 2013
and the implementation of
the project finally started in
2014,” Del Rosario further
related. “The government
undertook the conversion of
the Tourism building, through
extensive retrofitting and
renovation, into a building
suited to house the Natural
History Museum and its
priceless geological, botanical and zoological collections.”

The private sector
also participated in the
transformation. In particular,
a
private
foundation
donated the museum’s most
spectacular structure, the
Tree of Life, which includes a
dome of glass and aluminum,
in what was the courtyard, and
a scenic elevator

The redesign on the
neoclassical structure was
done by Dominic Galicia
Architects
and
Periquet
Galicia, Inc.

Many exhibits are
interactive, and all items are
informative and endlessly
fascinating if one takes time
to linger and contemplate. The
architectural details of the
building itself are to marvel at.
When the remaining portions
are finally open, the museum
is sure to impress more.

“The
National
Museum of Natural History
now stands as a remarkable
example of what can be
achieved through persistence
and a spirit of cooperation
and generosity, in line with
an established vision that
can be appreciated by every
Filipino,” Del Rosario said.