DIY Manila heritage tour: Luneta

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Okay, Jose Rizal's life has been put under the microscope because he's been the inspiration for the Filipinos looking for liberation from Spanish rule. Of all the patriots this country has produced, he has always been the most discussed in class, to the point that he became a villain for some people... an American hero construct (claimed by those who opposed the USA's colonisation of the country).

No matter how we look at it though, this man was a genius and was so advanced for his day and age. His death was such a waste of talent; a mistake that the narrow-minded Spanish colonists never recovered from. Luneta for me, as black and white turn to grey, is a testament of two perspectives being played out in school: (1) a reverence for a man portrayed as the model of patriotic perfection; and (2) a lesson on what happens when people in power fear that they are losing control over the others.



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