MANILA, Philippines — Is it right for the public to criticize the government just because they have different beliefs?
An instructor of the Department of Education – Television (DepEd TV) has posed this question to Grade 6 students studying Araling Panlipunan, as he discussed the division among members of the Katipunan, the revolutionary society founded by Andres Bonifacio and other Filipino patriots in 1892.
In the episode titled “Kumbensyon sa Tejeros” (The Tejeros Convention), the instructor explained how the Katipunan became divided into two factions—the Magdiwang led by Bonifacio and the Magdalo led by Emilio Aguinaldo. The episode was uploaded on the YouTube channel of DepEd TV in November last year.
The instructor compared this division among Katipunan members to the present situation in the country.
“Parang sa kasalukuyan. Kung hindi natin tutulungan ang ating mga pinuno, paano nila magagawa ang mga programa at proyekto nang maayos? Tama bang punahin natin ang lahat at hindi tumulong dahil iba ang ating pinaniniwalaan? Sa paraang ito, nawawala ang pagkakaisa,” the instructor explained.
(It’s like in the present times. If we will not help our leaders, how can they fulfill the government’s programs and projects properly? Is it right to criticize everything and not help them because we have different beliefs? If we will do this, there will be no unity.)
“Lahat sila [members of Katipunan] ay handang mamatay para sa bayan. Ngunit dahil sa hindi pagkakakaunawaang personal at politikal sa mga kasapi ng Katipunan, nagkaroon ito ng dalawang paksiyon. Umusbong ang alitan at pagkakawatak-watak,” he also said.
(All of them were willing to die for the country. But because of personal and political misunderstandings of its members, Katipunan had two factions. Conflict and division began to arise.)
The instructor then asked students about their take on this event in the country’s history.
“Ano ang masasabi ninyo dito, mga bata? Maganda bang pangyayari ito sa ating kasaysayan? Ano sa tingin niyo? Kung ang sagot niyo ay hindi, sang-ayon ako sa inyo. Dahil kung walang pagkakaisa at watak-watak, paano nila lalabanan ang mga Español?
(What can you say about this, students? Is this a good part of our history? What do you think? If your answer is no, I agree with you. Because if there is division instead of unity, how can they fight the Spaniards?)
It is worth noting, however, that the instructor could only be reading a script prepared for the episode.
INQUIRER.net has sought a comment from DepEd but has yet to receive a reply as of posting time.
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