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Maynila Series - 04/18

The irony is that on Rizal Day, you cannot go near Rizal.

December 30 is supposedly the day to commemorate Joze Rizal's heroic execution at Bagumbayan (now Luneta Park). Indeed, the whole park is draped in banners reading "RIZALISMO: SANDIGAN NG PAGKAKAISA, NASYONALISMO AT PAG-UNLAD."

Now, go to the monument and cheap, lemon yellow plastic chains keep anyone from ever going near the monument. A bewildered tourist guide asked the guard why this was so. He said, to keep people from bugging the monument guards.

I do not have anything against the two guards (the Filipino counterpart to London's beefeaters) who have to stand still for hours in the hot sun just to guard the monument--though I pity them, for I'd hate to have their job. But it's preposterous to keep everyone away from the national hero just because someone might harrass the guards. Besides, there's already 2 other security guards who keep an eye on both the monument and the guards.

I guess this just goes to show that our government's idea of "unity, nationalism and progress" is truly preposterous.

(Kawawa naman si Rizal, nadamay pa ang pangalan.)

Description
Maynila Series - 04/18

The irony is that on Rizal Day, you cannot go near Rizal.

December 30 is supposedly the day to commemorate Joze Rizal's heroic execution at Bagumbayan (now Luneta Park). Indeed, the whole park is draped in banners reading "RIZALISMO: SANDIGAN NG PAGKAKAISA, NASYONALISMO AT PAG-UNLAD."

Now, go to the monument and cheap, lemon yellow plastic chains keep anyone from ever going near the monument. A bewildered tourist guide asked the guard why this was so. He said, to keep people from bugging the monument guards.

I do not have anything against the two guards (the Filipino counterpart to London's beefeaters) who have to stand still for hours in the hot sun just to guard the monument--though I pity them, for I'd hate to have their job. But it's preposterous to keep everyone away from the national hero just because someone might harrass the guards. Besides, there's already 2 other security guards who keep an eye on both the monument and the guards.

I guess this just goes to show that our government's idea of "unity, nationalism and progress" is truly preposterous.

(Kawawa naman si Rizal, nadamay pa ang pangalan.)