Ve NEWSPAPER VOL. CLXXIX NO. X BIYERNES, OKTUBRE 10, 2025 VERITAS. REVELATA. AETERNUM HEADLINE I SAW RIZAL DIE: A SOLDIER’S EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT T BY BONGCARAWAN, ZAMSIYA & COSAIN, HAKIM he scene was Manila,on December 30,1898 Sun wasn’t even up yet, and already my morning got interrupted by someone yelling orders outside my tiny room on the corner of Sta. Potenciana and Magallanes. Me? I was twenty, playing soldier with the Leales Voluntarios de Manila—basically, we were the local volunteers, reporting to Captain Leaño, trying to look tougher than we felt. Rumors were flying fast: some rebel was gonna get shot. That man was Dr. José Rizal. The morning air was cold and heavy as we marched out of Fort Santiago, drums beating in rhythm. Our officer, Lieutenant Juan Pereira, led the group. We exited through Puerta Real, moving along the road toward Bagumbayan, what is now Luneta Park. The city was quiet except for the echo of our footsteps. I remember thinking that even the wind seemed to mourn. There, we found that the soldiers were already arranging the cuadro, a large square military formation. The Filipino soldiers were in the center, while the Spanish troops were on the outside. It could be seen that the Spaniards expected the Filipinos to shoot the firearms while they would fire on us if we did not obey. People were standing silently all around, the onlookers included civilians, students, priests, and officials. The tension was so thick that one could almost touch it with their hands. THE EXECUTION OF JOSE RIZAL IN BAGUMBAYAN Shortly Rizal came in a carriage drawn by horses, with priests around him. His hands were tied but he walked with serenity and respect. I could see that he was steady with no body tremble whatsoever. A priest was holding up a cross for him to kiss and he did so softly. I remember the subdued reflection of his glasses as the sun was coming up through the clouds. Rizal asked not to shoot him and that he be turned to face the firing squad. PHOTO SOURCE: GILBERT MIRANDA The music that accompanied “Marcha de Cadáveres” was already heard, an indication of the execution having ended. Holding my rifle, I was still and amazed. The realization that I have just seen the death of a man who will turn into the soul of the nation dawned on me. Just as the sun was coming up in the sky, Rizal’s lifeless body was on the grass. It was like the sky was the one who saw the The authorities, however, refused his request sacrifice of a person who had imagined and said that he was to be shot in the back, the Philippines to be free. which was a punishment for traitors. Nevertheless, he took the honor of dying as At that time, I felt that I was no longer a soldier, but a Filipino. a hero. I saw Rizal die, and through his death, I The commander gave the order: also saw our country live. “¡Preparados! ¡Apunten! ¡Fuego!”Twelve Filipino soldiers lifted their rifles and shot. The noise of the guns fell from the silence. Rizal’s figure jolted forward, but then, to the surprise of all, he rotated as he dropped, his face up, staring at the sky. It was like a light, a symbol of liberty and the Filipino people, as if even in death, he was not turning his back on them.A military doctor went to him and fired a last shot at close range to ascertain that he was dead. The crowd inhaled audibly and a strange silence followed. There was neither yelling nor RIZAL’S PORTRAIT clapping, only sorrow and amazement. PHOTO SOURCE: TEOFILO MONTECARLO LAYOUT: BURAGAY, JOHN EMMANUEL & CAPUNGCOL, SHAIRIL KRIZEL | THE TRUTH, REVEALED, ETERNALLY | PG. I PUBLISHED BY VERITAS AETERNA NEWSPAPER, KABITE
V NEWSPAPER VOL. CLXXIX NO. X BIYERNES, OKTUBRE 10, 2025 SUBSTORY Dapitan: The Exile That Became a Revolution of BY COSTA, ALTHEA MAE Ideas J ose Rizal entered Dapitan in 1892 as an exile according to Spanish decree, who thought that silence could quiet him. Instead, these years became a period of cultivation and quiet leadership. He turned his sentence into a mission of education, service, and inspiration. Citing reports from the Philippine News Agency, Rizal utilized his time in Dapitan to improve the ways of living of the townsfolk. He established a small school for young boys, teaching them the reading, writing, mathematics, and sciences. He sought to ask his students to think, live, and act with discipline, and taught them to farm, build, and take care of their environment. Beyond academics, these were lessons on gaining independence and selfrespect. (pna.gov.ph) Rizal also made good use of his knowledge as an engineer and a physician. He designed a simple waterway to provide pure water to houses in the municipality. He offered his medical help to patients from the neighboring towns. Neither was the condition or the poverty of his patients a factor for Rizal to refuse them treatment. Even some of his patients were redtaped Spanish soldiers, but he took care of them all, proving also that empathy can prevail against injustice. Historians in Dapitan often call this the "peaceful revolution" of Rizal. Instead of fighting with weapons, he fought ignorance and poverty, using education and example. According to local historian Rey Hamoy, "Rizal may have been silenced politically, but intellectually, he was louder than ever." (pna.gov.ph) Today, that home Rizal built in Dapitan is turned into a museum-a museum full of letters, tools, and books out of which Rizal's workshop would remind visitors of his work. Each artifact thus reflects discipline, intelligence, and quiet courage. Dapitan demonstrates that leadership begins with small acts of service. You do not need a high position to change things. Purity of purpose, effort, and will to help others is all that is needed. Simple work and genuine care turn exile into legacy, just as Rizal achieved by these means. Rizal as a Farmer: The Dapitan Experience BY ALESNA, ALFRED GABRIEL J ose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda or popularly known as "Dr. Jose Rizal" when we hear his name we immediately think of him as a Hero, Our hero.Dr. Jose Rizal was a novel writer and a doctor, who wrought two of the most powerful and important books in Philippine History, it was the "Noli Me Tangere" And "El Filibusterisno" that plays a major role in awakening Filipino nationalism during Spanish rule. But people seems to be forgetting something about Jose rizal. It was his passion for agriculture, he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty because what he saw in agriculture was far beyond than other people see, he saw that agriculture is a tool in building a strong self-sufficient nation.It wasn't just about planting crops to feed your family it was a strong noble and powerful calling for you and your nation. LAYOUT: BURAGAY, JOHN EMMANUEL & CAPUNGCOL, SHAIRIL KRIZEL | THE TRUTH, REVEALED, ETERNALLY | PG. II VERITAS. REVELATA. AETERNUM Dr. Jose Rizal was raised in a family of "inquilinos" which meant that they rented a land from domicans, and managed the farmers who worked on it. meaning that working working on land was not just a hobby for Jose rizal, it was part of who he was. He proves his love on farming by putting it into one of his novel. In "Noli Me Tangere", He mentioned the town of San Diego which is a mashup of all the best farming towns in the Philippines. He filled it with all of the major crops you could think of such sugar, coffe, rice, and even fruits so that Filipino reader's could see their own hometown in it “Ang ayungin ay ilaga sa sinigang. Itapa ang biya. Ang dalag at buan-buan ay ihaing pesa, at lalong mamamatagal ang dalag; ilagay sa bakol at itapon sa tubig. Itatapon sa kawali ang ulang! Iihaw ang banak, at babalutan ng talong at palaman ng kamatis. Huwag ubusin ang pang-akit, masamang lubusin ang baklad.” For some people this is just a small conversation, but it reflect just how Rizal Recognize and respected the everyday labor of farmers and fisherman. He see's their efforts as a true acts of service to the nation, equal in worth and purposely to the impact of his own writings. The Young Rizal: Genius Seed Before the Hero R BY VILLANUEVA, KEVIN GAIL izal's youth molded the intellect and nationalism that would later infuriate a nation. Before he became the country's national hero Jose Rizal had a humble yet intellectually challenging boyhood in Calamba Laguna. . On June 19, 1861 he was born as the eleventh of eleven children of an educated and authoritative family. PUBLISHED BY VERITAS AETERNA NEWSPAPER, KABITE
V NEWSPAPER VOL. CLXXIX NO. X His parents Francisco Mercado and Teodora Alonso put great value on education and strictness enabling Rizal's innate curiosity at an early age. His first teacher was Rizal's mother with whom he learned the alphabet, prayers, and reading. By the time he was three years old, he was already a master of reading and writing. PHOTO ESSAY BIYERNES, OKTUBRE 10, 2025 He was taught by his father literature and moral lessons which instilled in him a lifelong love for learning and sense of morality. The early education gave Rizal a strong foundation which set him up for what was to follow. Even as a child, Rizal was very talented and clever. He was in Biñan with Maestro Justiniano Aquino Cruz, where he astounded his teachers by being able to read, recite poetry, and paint. VERITAS. REVELATA. AETERNUM He continued to Ateneo Municipal de Manila where he was always exceptional and won high honors. His achievement did not make him feel proud but rather increased his determination to utilize knowledge and learning to benefit other human beings. Prior to fame and heroism Rizal was a scientist thinking mind and artist heart. His early childhood life shows how discipline of knowledge and gentleness can condition one for greatness. These traits hardened early on ultimately motivated him towards his lifelong passion of stirring the Filipino soul. Fragments of Rizal: Love, Sacrifice, and Revolution PHOTOS AND STORY BY GASTALLA, ALIYA MAE & GUZMAN, CHRISTINE “ Frozen glimpses that echo the life of a man who ignited a nation’s spirit” PHOTO SOURCE:HTTPS://ARCHIVE.ORG/DETAILS/RIZALSOWNSTORYOF00RIZA Dr.Jose Rizal’s Home: The House of Jose Rizal, a Spanish colonial-style o bahay na bato, rebuilt on the site of his birthplace in Calamba, Laguna. PHOTO SOURCE: HTTPS://SHARE.GOOGLE/ONMVBQDFDZGT6RMSK Dr.Jose Rizal Description: Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda was Born on June 19, 1861, in Calamba, Laguna. He was one of eleven Children of Don Francisco Mercado and Dona Teodora Alonzo. As a child, Rizal showed great intelligence and a passion for writing and arts. PHOTO SOURCE: HTTPS://SHARE.GOOGLE/M2RIXOAWGDZDIFKLL PHOTO SOURCE: HTTPS://PHILIPPINEFOLKLIFEMUSEUM.ORG/EXHIBIT-RIZAL-BOOKS-NOLI-FILI/# Dr.Jose Rizal’s Wife: Josephine Bracken, an Irish woman and Rizal's wife. Dr.Jose Rizal’s Works: Noli me Tangere and El filibusterismo was written by Josè Rizal that exposes the injustice and corruption under the spanish colonial.. LAYOUT: BURAGAY, JOHN EMMANUEL & CAPUNGCOL, SHAIRIL KRIZEL | THE TRUTH, REVEALED, ETERNALLY | PG. III PUBLISHED BY VERITAS AETERNA NEWSPAPER, KABITE
V NEWSPAPER VOL. CLXXIX NO. X BIYERNES, OKTUBRE 10, 2025 VERITAS. REVELATA. AETERNUM PHOTO SOURCE:HTTPS://WWW.BAYANIART.COM/LASOLIDARIDAD/#:~:TEXT=LA%20SOLIDARIDAD%20WAS%20A%20NEWSPAPER,THE%20NEED%20FOR%20PROGRES SIVE%20GOVERNANCE. The La Solidaridad: La Solidaridad a newspaper that was written by Josè Rizal, Antonio Luna and Mariano Ponce for the Propaganda Movement. PHOTO SOURCE:HTTPS://WWW.SLIDESHARE.NET/SLIDESHOW/JOSERIZAL-TRIAL-EXECUTION-AND-MARTYRDOM/232584817 Dr.Jose Rizal’s Execution: Rizal's Execution at Bagumbayan (1896) T PHOTO SOURCE:HTTPS://PHILNEWS.PH/2019/09/19/JOSE-RIZALLEONOR-RIVERA-STORY-HOW-THEY-MET-SAD-ENDING/ he exhibit presents José Rizal’s journey from Calamba, Laguna to his execution in Bagumbayan, highlighting his life, love, and legacy. It also features his relationships with Leonor Rivera and Josephine Bracken, along with his literary and intellectual contributions through Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, and La Solidaridad. The inspiration of Maria Clara: Leonor Rivera, Rizal's Greatest love and the inspiration of Maria Clara. T hrough his life and sacrifice, Rizal became the light that guided a nation toward freedom. His legacy lives on—an eternal flame of courage, love, and truth for the Filipino people. EDITORIAL The Pen that Awakened a Dormant Nation BY PELINGGON, MARK JOSHUA & LARIOQUE, CHRISTIAN ANGELO D r.José Rizal remains one of the greatest However, over one hundred years later, the issues symbols of freedom and national pride. Rizal Struggled with are still prevalent in our community.The wickedness of corruption, injustice, His bravery, intelligence, and commitment to and poverty plus poor discipline are still the factors the truth turned him into more than just a that weaken our country. The power that Rizal writer—he was a nation's conscience. With his strongly criticized is still present but in many forms. books Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, If he were alive, his voice will be loud and clear. He Rizal enlightened numerous Filipino about the would remind us that the real liberation is not only injustices and corruption that were taking place political independence but also the matching of during the Spanish colonial period. His moral responsibility and ethical standards. Rizal did writings not only "awakened" a dormant not become our national hero because he led armies country but also "encouraged" the revolution but rather because he conquered ignorance with that transformed our past. Through essays like education and oppression with reason. He had "The Philippines a Century Hence" and "The vision which need to enlighten the citizens—people Indolence of the Filipinos" he dismantled who think critically, act justly, and serve selflessly— colonial myths and exposed the inequities of a nation will gradually rise. Unfortunately, this Spanish rule, urging his fellow Filipinos to lesson has forgotten by numerous Filipinos.We believe in their worth and fight for reform honor his name every year, however, we mostly through education and unity. overlook his message. In the present time, a real follower of Rizal is the one who fights against corruption, fraud, and social injustice. It essentially means choosing truth over convenience, justice rather than silence, and knowledge over ignorance. The vision of Rizal for a better Philippines will be realized when we follow his examples. We should not let Rizal's sacrifice to fade into mere history. His life is a challenge to every Filipino to take part in the change—not through violence, but through the power of conviction, knowledge, and love for the country. More than a hundred years have gone by, but the voice of his pen still rings "Ang Kabataan ay Pag-asa ng Bayan." Now, it is our time to show that he was right. CONTRIBUTORS: Lead Article: Bongcarawan, Zamsiya Cosain, Hakim Secondary Article: Costa, Althea Mae Alesna, Alfred Gabriel Villanueva, Kevin Geil | THE TRUTH, REVEALED, ETERNALLY | PG. IV Photo Essay: Guzman, Christine Villamer Gastalla, Aliyah Editorial: Pelinggon, Mark Joshua Larioque, Christian Angelo Layout: Capungcol, Shairil Krizel Buragay, John Emmanuel PUBLISHED BY VERITAS AETERNA NEWSPAPER, KABITE
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