Ambeth Ocampo on Jose Rizal's relevance today | The Howie Severino Podcast 

“Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere.” This phrase alone, together with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo’s remarks about Jose Rizal’s relevance today, I think, really covers the social and cultural impact Rizal has had on the Filipinos. Not only did we name streets, hospitals, graveyards after Rizal but we have also created holidays, coins, statues, laws, shrines, and even a whole province commemorating the memory of Rizal. However, if I may add something, I would say that Rizal also had an impact on the ideals of the millions of Filipinos today, instilling a constant love for the country (literally imposed by the Rizal law) but also indirectly seen in the attitudes and ideals of Filipinos, putting education in high regard and educating the misinformed in the ongoing crisis.

Rizal's relevance today stems from his advocacy of systematic learning. We should not stop learning once we have achieved our goals, but instead continue to learn not only intellectually, but also morally. Because if we do not change our mindset and thinking toward others, we will not experience substantial improvement in this society. I also believe that heroes are not prophets as they do not foretell the future. They appear to have predicted our current situation, but it is Filipinos who have not changed. Thus, continuous improvement of our educational system may be a good option for redirecting our mindset and alleviating the problem of today's society. It was indeed a good talk, Professor Ambeth Ocampo!

Considering the fact that we have the RA 1425 often know as the Rizal Law, we could definitely say that Jose Rizal continues to have significance now and will continue to do so in the future. As we study his life and works, we tend to realize his greatness as a writer and an activist. His works could maybe an eye-opener, but I don't think that it changed the mindset of the Filipinos as Mr. Ocampo also said that, the Filipinos haven't change a century ago considering the historical events that we must have learned from. Aside from Rizal being seen in the old one-peso coin, he would be forever relevant and and a source of inspiration for those who aspire for change, and as long as he is a part of the curriculum that is taught in the academic institutions. Saying so, I definitely agree with Mr. Ocampo's cents on Rizal's relevance today.

Mr. Ambeth Ocampo's remark, "Rizal is everywhere, but is nowhere," demonstrates Jose Rizal's contemporary significance. He might be in coins, textbooks, and hospitals, but his relevance is not the same as before. Most of us might know that we have a Philippine national hero named Jose Rizal, but few are interested in learning more about him. However, those people who get to know more about Rizal know how he is still relevant. Rizal is an inspiration to many; he is more than just a hero. He was an honorable person, an industrious student, an excellent writer, and many more. His life may be short, but it is meaningful. Rizal may not receive the recognition he had before, yet he remains unforgettable to many.

I agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo’s statement. Rizal’s presence has been embedded everywhere and every Filipino knows who Jose Rizal is. But our knowledge about him is only comparable to the tip of an iceberg. Most Filipinos regard him as the hero who wrote eye-opening novels and died for his country. His relevance in our lives does not and should not only stop with that information. Repeating Mr. Ocampo’s statement in the video, Rizal would be disappointed with what the Philippines has become. History is still repeating itself because of stubborn people who do not want to learn from the past. It would sadden Jose Rizal that he did not leave enough impact to make his contributions relevant to his countrymen. A day should come when Filipinos will be more grateful for what our heroes have done for us. Honoring their sacrifices should not only stop with having monuments, holidays, and cities named after them. We should give more effort to learn about what they did and why they did it. Their acts were not only heroic but also a beacon of realizations that should still be instilled in our minds today.

It is very apparent that the story of Jose Rizal has been told a million times to us by historians, from his birth, love life, works, death, etc.… We view him as a beacon of hope from the past that helped Filipinos to open their eyes to the problems during the Spanish regime, but never had we viewed him as a relevant figure today. Ambeth Ocampo does a very good job of explaining the relevance of Rizal in our present-day as many believe that he predicted our current situation but in reality, it is us that are responsible for our downfalls, he said that he does not view Rizal and other heroes in the past as being prophetic but instead, he addresses the unchangeable nature of his fellow countrymen and how we barely grew as a nation despite all the warning from history. To conclude, I think Ambeth Ocampo made a very good point, we view Rizal’s relevance by studying his life but actually, it is how we embody his principles and ideology that truly represent his impact in our present day.

In order to ensure that the sacrifices made by our heroes weren't in vain, we must keep in mind the previous events because it had a significant impact on the present. Regardless matter what they believed, our heroes were wrong about what was happening; instead, we are still living under the same mentality that previous generations had. I remember my professor stated in class that while history won't repeat itself, problems from the past are still issues we confront now. As a result, because Rizal's works express the same circumstances and beliefs that Filipinos do now, they are still relevant today. Thank you Mr. Ambeth Ocampo for this sensational information.

"Hindi sila manghuhula but rather ang mga Pilipino hindi nagpalit in hundred years. Ang kasayksayan hindi naguulit. Ang naguulit ng kasayksayan, tayo, mga tao." I think that this is a very powerful phrase that Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said. People had the power to change but the thing is that, they're not willing to change. They kept repeating the same mistakes over and over because they tend to forget what happened in the past, then they'll complain. I personally believe that we must not forget the past, we must learn from it. Furthermore, I also agree about for us to cure the real reason why we are experiencing things that we complain about, is basically education. If people will change, I think our country will prosper. Education is a good and beautiful light which helps us to go forward in the darkness of ignorance.

I do agree with what Professor Ambeth Ocampo said. Even though we are acknowledging Dr. Jose Rizal in coins, locations, and businesses named in his honor, and many others, some only know about his renowned literary accomplishments and death. If we don't study his works and life deeper, we won't get the message he's trying to instill in each and every Filipino. Fortunately, R.A. 1425 or Rizal Law has an enormous contribution to each and every student. Not only did it serve as a tribute to our hero, but it paved the way to learn interesting facts about his life and the message he wanted to convey. Dr. Jose Rizal, in the citation of Professor Ocampo, has impressed me with his emphasis on the value of education in our nation. "History doesn't repeat itself. Hence, people never learn from their mistakes in the past'' is what our instructor has said to us. As a result, societal issues from the past, such as oppression and abuse of human rights, continue to exist. As Mr. Ocampo said, we are only curing the symptoms, not the disease itself. Thus, we must open our eyes, and Pepe did that through studying and learning, academically and through experience that broadened his thinking and perspective on life. Indeed, education is the key to a brighter future that will shape and enlighten people.

Mr. Ambeth Ocampo provided such a well said response. We are not experiencing what our heroes predicted, regardless what they thought, but rather the same mindset of those in the past that we have not moved from. According to what my professor said in class, history will never repeat itself, but problems from the past are still problems we face today. As a result, Rizal's writings are still relevant today because they describe the same situations and values that Filipinos have up to this point. You can read his books, novels, and other works anywhere, but if we do not adapt the behaviors they advised, we will not experience improvement. Thank you Mr. Ambeth Ocampo!

Very well said, Mr.Ocampo. Solid!

Super interesting & super informative. It's very exhilarating to watch and listen to know about Jose Rizal and the relevance of Philippine History. Considering some may find studying our country's history tedious but we must never forget that what happened in the past has led to the situation we are in today. It should be noted that Jose Rizal wrote about topics that are still relevant. His two outstanding books' Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo would nurture not only acknowledgment but also diversify Filipinos' perspectives. Thank you for all the learnings and realizations, Sir Howie Severino and Sir Ambeth Ocampo! Let us continue to fight for the truth. I salute and applaud you, Sir Ambeth Ocampo. You provide us with great service by preserving the essence of Philippine history and learning from the past. I'm hoping Sir Ambeth will be able to write more books about modern Philippine history.

After listening to Mr. Ambeth Ocampo, I can now firmly agree that the notion "history repeats itself" is untrue. Because, as he claims, history is impersonal and is incapable of repeating itself. We are the ones who are unable or unwilling to learn from it. And it saddens me personally since we are essentially eradicating the opportunity to gain lots of knowledge from Rizal's life and works-or the history in general- which can alter our lives profoundly. Remember that knowing our past will help us better comprehend the present and better create our future since it will help us clearly understand where we came from. Indeed, history doesn't change, but a better understanding of it can empower youths and be the agents of change. So, let's not hesitate to be all part of it. Thank you for the informative remarks, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo!

Jose Rizal's contributions to our nation are what make me think that he is still relevant today. Rizal's works are remarkably resilient, and his action was very honorable. For us to be better citizens and bring change to our nation, Jose Rizal serves as an excellent role model. But, because of the Filipinos' intransigence, it seems like our past is repeating itself. Therefore, I agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo's statement that we Filipinos are the ones who repeat our history, not the history itself. Education is therefore crucial since it has the potential to transform weaknesses into strengths. And could change a person's mentality. Also, It provides numerous approaches to comprehending and solving the issues that lie ahead of us.

I agree that Mr. Ambeth Ocampo's claim that our national heroes did not predict the future when they were still alive is true. Jose Rizal's writings, which expose the mistreatment and avarice of the Spaniards, "awaken" us to this reality, but it is us, the Filipinos, who carry on the history. Having the Republic Act No. 1425 makes Jose Rizal relevant in contemporary times. This Rizal law aims to teach and promote nationalism, patriotism, and volunteerism, which are exhibited in his works, to the students, as his works depict the history of the past to the present. This law may awaken students and give them the encouragement and determination to be modern Rizals and social catalysts.

Professor Ambeth Ocampo brilliance is God sent. Please allow me to thank you and your staff. As we continue to forge audaciously.

"What is the relevance of Jose Rizal today?", a question that people in today's generation is frequently asked. A 25 volumes, which Mr. Ambeth Ocampo mentioned, tells much about him left unknown. It is indeed that Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere. Before, I don't have much interest of those subjects that talked about Rizal's work until I chose to think like him. I chose my country and 2022 election is my proof about it. The vounteerism, encouragement, spreading awareness, and dedication to influence my fellow citizens to see the truth. It was the time I totally understand the statemet of Rizal, "Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan" and his other statements. The relevance of him in our life is a choice. It is really hard to understand his works until you allow yourself to think like him.

I agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo saying Rizal set a high standard for what we should be. Indeed, education is the number foundation to have a better nation. The writings of Rizal serves as an eye opener for all Filipinos regarding how the Spanish treated FIlipino people. As he provides hope through his writings, Rizal is so relevant in the past that he fueled the people's fading fire and eagerness to have freedom. But is Rizal will still be significant today as he was in the past? Ambeth Ocampo claims that Rizal is "everywhere but nowhere." this line proves how Rizal still relevant today. Although he is no longer with us, we will always be grateful for all he did to help ensure our nation's freedom.

We must remember the past since it had a big impact on the present in order to ensure that the sacrifices made by our heroes weren't in vain. No matter what they thought was going on, our heroes were mistaken; we are still operating with the same attitude as earlier generations. Although history won't repeat itself, problems from the past are still challenges we face today, my professor said in class. As a result, Rizal's writings are still relevant today since they reflect the same situations and views that Filipinos do now. I appreciate you sharing this important information, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo.

I definitely agree to what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said, it’s not that our heroes, especially Rizal were prophetic just because it seemed in their works that they had already predicted all the problems we are encountering in the status quo, but it is actually the Filipinos who haven’t change after a hundred years. We face the same problems, because it is us, who haven’t really change in the first place. We’re in the new era, but we’re still doing the same old same old. Like what Mr. Ocampo said, history doesn’t have the power to repeat itself, not as we think it is, but it is the people who repeat history. Rizal, who deeply value education, knew that it is through education that we can be enlightened and have a grasp of the genuine change we want for our country. I strongly believe that Rizal and other Filipino heroes didn’t fight so hard against our subjugators and all odds, which even cost them to shed their blood, only for us to suffer the same disease. We have to get up from our deep slumber of insensitivity, have a profound view of things, and realize through education that we can do better. Thank you, sir Ambeth Ocampo!

Rizal is everywhere. In money, you can see Rizal at piso coins. In plaza, you can see the monument of Rizal. In library, there is a book about Rizal. When you use google, there is an article and studies about Rizal. However, many youths are saying, it is just a history only. They don’t know the relevance and importance of history today. I agree with Sir Ambeth Ocampo, “History doesn’t repeat itself but people repeat the history”. We are honored that CHED approved to study the history of Rizal in order to appreciate and realized the importance of history. And yet, it is still underrated because of the attitude of students today. Mr. Ocampo has a power to deliver the history to make the students interested and appreciate it. Thank you for the learnings and knowledge for your video.

“The things that they told us to change a 100 years ago are still with us” “Ang nag uulit ng kasaysayan ay tayo, tao”. An enlightening message to wake the Filipino up from the deep inception we were made to believe. He truly is right, although we may have changed as a person, the very core of our very existence lies still upon the rigged and destructive nature we once had. In doing so, every time we fall short on things, we revert back to the ways we have long forgotten and envelop them again. We may have cured the symptoms, but the disease is very much alive. If only we could take away these traits fully.

I agree with what Professor Ambeth Ocampo said that our heroes, especially Rizal, did not predict what was happening at the moment. The main reason is that we are not learning/ changing our mindset, "the things that they told us to change a hundred years ago is still with us". History has no power to repeat itself. Nonetheless, we repeat it because of how we think and act. If we scrutinize what is happening in the present time is still not changing but worsening, the discrimination, inequality, and injustice that Filipinos still experience today. I do believe that when we value education like Rizal did, it is not to be a measure of intelligence but it is the way to be enlightened and have the knowledge that will be our grapple to change this country. Students who listen to this podcast might become more inspired and engaged to become modern Rizals and social catalysts. Thank you, Professor Ambeth Ocampo!

I agree on what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo that after hundred's of years, many of us filipinos haven't change. The history does not have the power to repeat but the people repeat itself that's why we are still enountering the social issues that they have encounter in the past. I also agree that proper education can change and help us on how we view the society and on how we can participate and contribute to change kung ano ang nakagawian nating mga pilipino. I think that Jose Rizal's relevance does not only end on him becoming our national hero, the issues and lessons that he imparted with us through his novels is still relevant today and we can still relate and continue to learn.

I definitely agree that we have to see the difference of being known vs relevancy. Since childhood we are introduced to who Jose Rizal is and how he became our national hero. We may have heard stories about him like his childhood, education, exile, death, etc. but these are just basic information of who he is. Mr. Ambeth Ocampo also stated that “rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere” simply because he only stayed as a subject to be learned and not a role model to adapt the aspiring knowledge and use it in our lives. One’s relevance is not based on their existence but rather to the applicability of the learning from what they have gone through. Ultimately, we Filipinos have to change the way we think and the way we foresee things because it is in our hands to continue what Jose Rizal opts to see Filipinos and our mother land.

It is fascinating how a simple and innocent question of little Ambeth became associated with the title of his book entitled “Rizal without the Overcoat”. On the other hand, it saddens me when Mr. Ocampo said, “ang mga tao ay hindi nagpalit in 100 years, ang ugali natin pareho pa rin, that the things they told us to change a hundred years ago are still with us” I personally agree with this particularly when it comes to political issues. Nagnanais tayo ng pagbabago subalit mukha naman yatang hindi pa rin tayo natututo. Kung noon paniwalang-paniwala ako sa “history repeats itself” ngayon binago ni Mr. Ambeth ang pananaw ko into “ang nag-uulit ng kasaysayan ay tao”. In the span of an eight-minute video, I can say that Mr. Ambeth Ocampo has influenced and somewhat changed my perceptions with the things he has discussed.

I personally agree with what Professor Ambeth Ocampo has said about “Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere”. Everyone knows he got shot and died a hero for the country but a few people have actually dig for any more details about his life. It is indeed that education can shape the future. Education is important in changing the minds of not only the youth but all of the people in this country. Education is what we call game changer in order to improve not only our way of thinking but also be the way for the improvement that the country needs. Aside from other countries, but I think that there is an education crisis in the Philippines where the educated are ignored and not being listened to. This situation is one of the things that Rizal experienced in his time and it is very clear that history does not repeat itself, people are the ones who repeat it. Very well said Mr. Ambeth Ocampo!

Just listened to this today. Nasa RU-vid rin pala. Husay ni Ambeth Ocampo. Thank you!

Ang ganda nito. Ang daming food for thought.

I do agree with what Professor Ambeth Ocampo said. Our national heroes, especially Jose Rizal, were not prophets. They did not see the future; it's just that we still carry the same problems as before. We still encounter the same problems as before because we did not learn from the past and did not change after a hundred years. As Mr. Ocampo said, history does not have the power to repeat itself, but we humans do. If we do not change, and we still make the same mistakes we made in the past, then do not expect any change. Perhaps, we can still have the change we want if we value education as much as Rizal did. I, too, believe that education is significant in making a change for a brighter future. It will help us have a broader and clearer view of our society, change our mindset, and fix the disease of our past.

I agree with what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said about Rizal's relevance today. Jose Rizal is still relevant today because of the legacy he has left behind. He is remembered for his brilliance, peaceful resistance to tyranny, courage, and compassion. He is an inspiration not only to Filipinos but to other people as well. Moreover, the social ills he mentioned in his work (more than a hundred years ago) are still prevalent today. Further, I do agree that Jose Rizal and other heroes are not prophetic and history doesn't repeat itself. People do. And it is the lack of education, the reason why it seems like we are still living in the past. If people are educated, society will benefit as well. Lessons from the past can provide insights into the present and even the future. Therefore, we should not forget the past. We should learn from it. Thank you, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo and Mr. Howie Severano for this informative content.❤️

Based on my observations and direct experience, I agree with Mr. Ocampo that "Rizal is no longer relevant to us." Rizal's fame is actually everywhere; yet, this popularity is primarily due to the well-known facts of risking his life for freedom and peace, for his two books that opened the eyes of Filipinos within the country's social cancer, and for his monuments and visage on the one-peso coin. During the previous season of Pinoy Big Brother, a history quiz bee was held, and one of the housemates incorrectly answered a question concerning Jose Rizal's nickname with "J. Rizal," demonstrating that the name Jose Rizal was only well-known in mind, but other information about his life was not. Furthermore, in the infographics task, I proved to myself that there is so much more information about Rizal's life that I don't know, whereby I feel that there are many facts or stories about him that were first heard or read, but from the perspective of many, it was already well-known. It implies I know him but I don't put in much time or effort to make him relevant in my life.

Hearing Mr. Ocampo’s opinion about Rizal and his relevance to today’s generation makes me realize that almost all of it is sadly true. “Rizal is not relevant to us anymore”, most students would disagree because it is implemented in the curricula in all schools, how about the Filipinos who did not take their education? Or those who did not finish their studies? All Filipinos know the name, but not everyone knows the significance of the name. “You cure the symptoms, but if you are not curing the disease walang mangyayare.”, a wise phrase from Mr. Ocampo portraying the reality that the change we are finding is actually through the power of education. Rizal’s influence through education can change most Filipinos' mindsets, improve each other's treatment, and create a pathway to bigger success for the country.

Rizal is everywhere but nowhere, as Mr. Ambeth Ocampo claimed, and this is accurate. Some individuals lack the guts to read his story, despite the fact that he is regularly depicted on monuments, 1 peso coins, and other artifacts. He said, "Our heroes weren't prophets," and I agree with him since we often repeat history instead of history repeating itself. In many ways, I believe Jose Rizal's writings and his life's work are still relevant today, but his remark on education was the one that most moved me. We can acquire a perspective that offers us a bird's-eye view of the issues of the day through education.

It is thrilling to watch, listen, and learn about Jose Rizal and the relevance of Philippine history. While some may find learning our country's history tiresome, we must never forget everything that happened in the past with the price of thousands of lives has contributed to the circumstance we find ourselves in today. I personally agree with Professor Ambeth Ocampo's statement "Rizal is everywhere but nowhere” because we can literally see him on papers, books, articles, monuments, and many places where he left traces have been marked as a sign to commemorate his memories and contributions that continue to have an impact on Filipinos. Also, Jose Rizal remains relevant and a source of motivation for people who seek change, as long as it is still included in the curriculum. We tend to understand his greatness as a writer and an activist when we examine his life and works. However, regardless of what our heroes foretold, we are witnessing the same mindset of individuals in the past that we have not moved away from. Given the historical experiences from which we must have learned, as Mr. Ocampo also stated. History does not repeat itself; people do. Mr. Ambeth Ocampo, you've expressed it well!

I agree with what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said about the relevance of Dr. Jose Rizal in the present. He said. "Rizal is everywhere (like in the one-peso coin), but nowhere." Mr. Ocampo adds that Rizal is nowhere because he's now irrelevant to us. Some people know Rizal but never read his works like Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. I realized that the teachings of Life and Works of Rizal at school could increase our knowledge and interest in knowing our history. History is relevant because some people never learned from the past. Different social issues happening in the past are still happening in the present. In reading Rizal's works, we can find inspiration and realization on why we are still repeating history. It is because of our ignorance.

When Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said, "Rizal is everywhere but he's nowhere." Yes we may know him because of what he did to our country but he's not relevant to us anymore in a way that most of us here in our generation have no idea of what he's done in our country. What we all know is that he wrote two novels, the El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere which is the reason for his execution. History repeats itself. Maybe we can say history repeats itself because of us, people who do the action in which we can tell that "oh history repeats itself". I do agree that if we want a change we can do and start it for a better future because if we start to change there's a huge possibility of a good result especially when we also have enough knowledge to make a change. Thank you, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo!

I totally agree to the statement that Dr. Ambeth Ocampo said that "Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere." This quote implies that we can see Rizal everywhere from coins, statues, books and he even studying his life and his works. However, my interpretation in his statement, "he is nowhere, "implies that the essence of the novels that caused him to be executed are fading. The injustices, abuses and misfortunes they experience that time will be irrelevant if people will not learn through our history. As a youth, the sacrifices of our heroes like Rizal will truly relevant to everyone when we found ourselves seeking and appreciating them with our hearts and mind.

When asked, "Who is Jose Rizal?" They would say things like "pambansang bayani," "yung nasa piso," "siya yung nasa Luneta," and so on. I agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo's assessment of Rizal's current relevance. He is the well-known "Pambansang Bayani," but most people are unaware of the significance of that "Jose Rizal." We have RA 1425, also known as Rizal Law; we have studied Rizal since we were in elementary school. And as we studied his life and works, we realized how great he was as a writer and as a person. His two novels may have opened the eyes of many, but I don't believe they changed the mindset of Filipinos, as Mr. Ocampo stated, "Ang ugali natin ay parehas pa rin. The things that they told us to change a hundred years ago is still with us”. Filipinos have not changed since then, so if Rizal were still alive, I doubt he would be proud of what is happening today; instead, he would be disappointed because the sacrifices he made were not worthy at all. This video opened my eyes to the fact that we should not only read about his works and life but understand it also. Understand every word Rizal wanted for us to inherit. Change begins with us, with a shift in our mindset and actions. We must recognize and comprehend past mistakes in order to correct them and be better in the future. This 8-minute video changed my perceptions, and I realized that if Mr. Ocampo can influence a change in someone, I believe we all have the ability to influence others.

Rizal is our national hero, which made him known up until today’s generation, but I would like to agree with what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said that "Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere because he is not relevant to us anymore," which means that we may know Rizal and give importance to Rizal because of what he did for the country, but most of us didn’t dig deeper to know the main essence of why he did that. Rizal's novels have significant lessons that can still apply nowadays, but some people are too lazy to read them or to try to understand them unless it is required in school. Through this, we are still experiencing some issues from the past because we didn't learn from what happened back then. This explains the phrase that Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said, "History doesn't repeat itself but people repeat history." So I think that Rizal’s relevance nowadays is only dependent on those who are taking the RA 1425 and those people who are studying about him because they are the ones who truly understand what Rizal wants to convey through his works.

Certainty, I also agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo’s viewpoint about the capability of people to repeat the history. Wherein its possibility will remain due to insufficient learning from past mistakes and also the neglected will to systematically identify the pattern of social cancers in our society. Furthermore, as what mentioned by Mr. Ocampo, Dr. Rizal highly valued education as effective antidote to fight the ignorance and separation that is still relevant up to these times. So, the essence of studying the course of Rizal’s Life and Works is a huge stepping stone towards innovation, reminder and guidelines specially to our younger generation.

I definitely agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo's assessment of Jose Rizal's relevance in today's generation. I believe Jose Rizal's legacy will remain relevant in the present and in the future. His works and the social issues he condemned during his time are still happening and relevant today. Filipinos continue to face injustices, corruption, inequalities, discriminations and prejudices. Others may claim that history repeats itself, but what they don't realize is that we, the Filipinos, were still the same and have yet to change our behavior, mindset, and perspective. The study of Rizal Law, particularly the works of Jose Rizal, will be futile unless we inculcate the message that Rizal intended to convey through his works.

It is an undeniable fact that Jose Rizal is well-known but still Filipinos overlooked him, especially his works and contributions to our country. Jose Rizal's relevance from his life and works is still timely and pertinent to today's society as what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo pointed out that it is we who do change, we still don't learn from the past, we're still unable to move forward from the history. Given the Rizal Law, I think that it gives us the opportunity to be able to understand and learn his life and works, to be able to see clearer and open our minds to the past and current events and the society, and in return dig further and deeper into details. Meanwhile, Mr. Ocampo did an incredible job at providing important and eye-opener insights and knowledge.

Ambeth Ocampo brings Philippine history closer To Filipinos. We would not know what happened in the past without him and the other researchers, and this generation would not change if there was no inspiration to change.Rizal is still relevant even in modern society because the social ills that he condemned more than a hundred years ago are still prevalent in the Philippines today.The teachings of Jose Rizal has great relevance to the Filipino people especially the youth in order to rededicate their lives to the ideal of freedom and nationalism, for which our heroes lived and died.Rizal is an excellent example of what young people may become if they study and work hard.

Rizal is indeed everywhere because we can see his traces everywhere like statues, coins, a hospital that was named after him, history books, etc. There are many areas where he left his mark that has been remembered as a way to honor his legacy and sacrifices. But as many traces Rizal has left, he is not relevant to us anymore. As Mr. Ocampo said “Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere. ”We all know him by his name, but not all of us knew his importance. Because of this, education is necessary important to create change. By remembering the past and drawing on its lessons, we can find a solution to the problems we face today. Knowing Rizal's name is important, but it's his contributions and influence that can change our perspectives and aid the nation.

I agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo that our heroes, especially Jose Rizal, are not prophetic nor have seen our future. It's just that Filipinos didn't change a century ago. It made me realize that history does not repeat itself, Filipinos do. If we had only used the works of Jose Rizal as an eye-opener and an inspiration, we might not have encountered the issues or conflict before. But we can do something to bring back the relevance of Jose Rizal in today's generation: to adopt the sound characteristics of Dr. Jose Rizal, learn from history, and start changing our mindset and action that contributes to the growth of conflict or problem.

Undoubtedly, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo provided a thorough response to the podcast that was recorded.Certainly, Jose Rizal had a significant social and cultural impact on Filipinos for many years, even up to this generation, because of how he fought for the country. Going deeper into how he was raised, how he lived his life, and how he used his intelligence to show his love for the country has become an eye-opener for many Filipinos to see how the colonizers treated us as slaves of our own country. Even while this may open our eyes, many Filipinos' attitudes haven't altered over time. He served as a wake-up call for the previous generation and a reminder for the present. Furthermore, Rizal’s relevance also has something to do with the importance of education. The country’s educational system is very essential in shaping this generation’s mindset towards the various issues the country is facing. Clearly, it’s not only about education but also about the kind of education we have today, because some education could make one blind to what’s really happening in society. Indeed, Mr. Ocampo provided us with a solid foundation for learning new information from this session.

"Ang kasaysayan ay hindi nag-uulit-wala naman power and kasaysayan para mag-ulit. Ang nag-uulit ng kasaysayan ay tayo, tao." I most certainly agree with the stand that history does not repeat itself. The phrase "history repeats itself" is one that everyone has heard and believed, implying that a past occurrence happens again in the present. On the other hand, George Santayana also made a quote that shared the same meaning as the one with Ambeth Ocampo. That is, "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it," which means that the accountability for events repeating throughout time is not history itself but rather us. If we want "real change," it is our responsibility to make things work rather than leaving it to outside factors like destiny or fortune.

I concur with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo when he says that Rizal is no longer relevant to us and is thus everywhere but nowhere. More about Jose Rizal's life has been revealed to us than that of any other Filipino hero. His name may be seen everywhere, including on coins, in schools, on streets, and on a number of monuments.However, few Filipinos are interested in learning about his life or reading the works he published. Additionally, I agree with the adage "History does not repeat itself; rather, we are the ones who make history repeat itself" because I think that, depending on how well-educated and how people behave, previous events may influence the present. However, we must make Rizal relevant to the present and constantly remind ourselves that through understanding Rizal, we understand our own potential for greatness. Because, as highlighted by Ocampo, "What is the use of freedom if our slaves of today will be tyrants of tomorrow? " is a famous Rizal quote. Changing our government, in my opinion, is not a great option; we should instead change ourselves. Be educate and change our behaviour kasi eto ang magiging pinakamalakas na sandata natin sa pagbabago at ang edukasyon ay napakaimportante kay Dr. Jose Rizal. Tunay na mahal ni Dr. Jose Rizal ang mga Pilipino at ang kanyang inang bayan.

Tons of societal problems have never been addressed thoroughly, and I was then awakened by Mr. Ocampo's statement about how Rizal systematically solves a conflict. Rizal's perspective has always shown a hint of his profession, he always notices that a minor problem that keeps on going back is not a problem but a symptom of a much larger disease. Mr. Ocampo then states that all the societal problems that we are all facing right now are due to the fact that this is not an isolated problem but a symptom of something larger. Education, the key to a nation's success is often overlooked but education can change the status of our motherland.

The quote Sir Ocampo stated from Rizal's book, "The slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow," resonated with me the most. Surely, what good would freedom give us if we do not learn from our past? Filipinos have experienced all types of oppression from foreign forces, and we continue to do so. The only difference is that now, it is our own race that power-trips on the weak and poor. How, then, can our history move forward if we forget and unlearn our dreadful past? This may be the very reason why Rizal advocates the importance of education. It is because it is only through awareness of our own situations and faithfulness to our country that we will be truly free from the bondages of tyranny. This is also why I think Rizal continues to be relevant; for education will always, always be an essential part of molding a better future.

Despite the absence of his existence, Rizal will always be relevant to us as we continue to study and deepen our understanding regarding everything in connection with his life and legacy. Indeed, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo was right that “Rizal is everywhere, but he is nowhere,” as many places where he left traces have marked as a sign to commemorate his memories and contributions that still have an impact on Filipinos. Proper education is really essential to make a change; continuing to choose not forgetting the past and learn from its morals will help us to make an antidote for the problems that poison us for a century. Rizal may have died, but his legacy lives on.

Most people today say that history repeats itself, but I agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo that history does not repeat; it is the people who repeat it. In studying history, especially the life and works of Jose Rizal, we can see its relevance to the situation of our country today. Some think that Jose Rizal was a prophecy because he predicted these events, but this is not the case. The people, particularly some Filipino people, have not changed. Because instead of changing what happened hundreds of years ago, we are still stuck in such a situation where the attitude and character we display are still the same. We always expect change, especially in politics, poverty, lifestyle, etc. But in reality, we are the ones who are hindering the change we hope for.

Thank you Professor Ambeth Ocampo your brilliance will continue to enlighten as we forge forward.

Rizal was once hailed as a national hero, with the country honoring him with historical markers and special holidays. But this worship has died down after a couple of years. Due to this dissipated admiration towards him, some may think that he’s not as relevant to the country as he used to be, but his advocacies are still very much alive today. Mr. Ambeth Ocampo had said, calling him a prophet for knowing the country’s situation today is wrong. It is simply because Filipinos never changed, even after a hundred years. Filipinos never learn from the country’s history, and without proper education of the past, everyone is blindly repeating what should have been over years ago. Jose Rizal is still relevant today because his works are still very relevant to the country's current situation.

I think the podcast was a great way to bring Rizal's relevance into the present day. It made me realize that he is relevant everywhere-but nowhere at all. I agree with Ambeth Ocampo's words about Rizal's relevance in today's society. It's kind of sad to hear that his relevance will only get on the surface but not beneath the lives of every single Filipino. We may be acknowledging him as one of "the" heroes, but not to the point of making him one of "our" heroes that we can look up to. We are indeed taking him, his sacrifices, and his patriotism for granted, and it is a sad reality. Moreover, what this podcast made me realize is that the situation we have today in our country, the problems we are experiencing, should not be romanticized. We may think that it is okay to live with the social problems that are still occurring since those also happened in the past, but this is not a good mindset. Let us not settle for a country that continues to lie and fool its people. Let us be the generation that not only wants change but can effect change.

I agree with what Mr. Ocampo said about Rizal's relevance today. As he said, "Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere". He's still relevant today, as we can see him everywhere. However, we don't know much about him. Mr. Ocampo's point is that we should study Jose Rizal's life and works in depth. I also agree that history does not repeat itself and Rizal did not predict the future. Filipinos are the ones who made history remain unchanged. People have not changed and continued to be blind even though his works opened the eyes of the Filipinos during that time. People valued his works, but they didn't understand the message he was conveying. It seems that what you learned about Rizal is useless if you don't know how to put it into practice. They learned but did not apply what they had learned in real life. Those who appreciate his works have studied his life and works in depth. This is why Rizal valued education because it helped to open the eyes of the Filipinos during his time.

“Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere.” This statement of Mr. Ambeth Ocampo made me realize that Rizal can be seen everywhere, in coins, statues, places and many more. However, our knowledge about him is the total opposite of the things that serve as a reminder of his pastriotism. We all know that he is one of our national heroes who was killed at Bagumbayan, but did we all know the reason why he was killed? Only a few of us are interested in knowing more about Rizal. But, through the course Life and Works of Rizal we are being reminded about his relevance and his contributions to Philippine Independence. Mr. Ocampo also highlighted the importance of education in changing society. Knowledge opens our eyes about what is really happening in our society and it will help us to cure the disease in our society or the social problems we are facing now.

I agree with Ambeth Ocampo that compared to other Filipino heroes who struggled for our freedom, Jose Rizal's life has been more analyzed. His name can be seen everywhere, including on coins, in schools, on streets, and on a number of monuments. Few Filipinos, however, take the time to reflect on his life and the principles that make him our unofficial national hero. Studying Rizal's life and works is essential because of the invaluable contributions he and other national heroes make to the nation. His book's focus is on propagating Rizal's ideals. Because it compares the condition in the past to the present, Rizal's writings have a huge impact on the lives of Filipinos.

According to Mr. Ambeth Ocampo, Rizal is "everywhere yet he is nowhere." In my opinion, this means that we may find him in a variety of places, including banks and bank notes, provinces and street names, schools, cigars and matches, soft drinks and beer, cement, theaters, and a lot more. Jose Rizal was unquestionably intelligent because on the documents and writings he left behind. Since Rizal's famous works can be found everywhere, his importance now is still evident. Additionally, He encourages Filipinos to have courage and bravery regardless of their race or size. Today, we can all agree that Rizal made a vital contribution to our history since it highlights our nationalism and independence and encourages us to stand up for what is just and right.

Mr. Ambeth Ocampo took his words right upon saying our heroes aren't prophetic, they can't foretell our future. Rather, the system that lies within us remains unchanged. Rizal, as one of those who did heroic deeds for our fatherland, satiated us the means to remedy the ills in society through his great remarks. However, people, even up to this era, have not yet learned the lessons they intend to relay from the past. Thus, Rizal's novels still mirror the current issues and concerns in the contemporary world. As long we are not constantly changing our behaviour, we will forever be ravenous to change. And if Rizal could live with us today, he might be disappointed because this is not the ideal he had ever hoped for the nation.

This is very interesting and very informative, as Ambeth Ocampo said, “Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere.” One sentence but gives a lot of impacts. That alone gives an eye-opener that Rizal is relevant and he was always been relevant to us. Furthermore, “Our heroes are not prophetic,” Rizal cannot predict our future that is why he left us something to read, in order for us to understand how relevant it is to know something about history. History doesn’t repeat itself because it doesn’t have to power to do so, history repeats itself because of the people, of us. “What we see today are symptoms, they are not the real disease,” and a doctor knows how to cure the symptoms but if it can’t cure the disease then nothing will happen. “Education is the most powerful weapon which we can use to change the world,” and that’s the key that he was implying. We all know how much Rizal loves this country and that he was willing to be executed for the sake of this country.

Growing up, I used to hear the quote “history repeats itself”, that no matter what we do, history will always recur. However, in this podcast, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo has ended this kind of mindset as he emphasizes that history repeats because of the people who did not learn from it. That history gives lessons that should serve as a basis to implement changes. As he had said, “the things that they told us to change a hundred years ago are still with us…”, that is why as long as people are not willing to adopt those changes and will continue to do what seems to be the tradition, then that is the time when history repeats. As a student, I am glad that I was able to have a chance to deepen my knowledge and appreciate the life and works of Rizal through the implemented Rizal Law. In this way, we students can gain ideals of freedom, nationalism and patriotism, and adopt changes which contradict to what Mr. Ocampo has said with regards to the relevance of Rizal these days.

February 15, 2023 Thanks for sharing Bro. On Rizal's relevance today, on this side of the 21st-century timeline. Perhaps one question also that may prod Ambeth Ocampo into thinking is: "How did the Roman Catholic Church reply to Rizal's forceful engagement & airtight argument against the doctrine of Indulgence & Purgatory, as explicated by Tasio to Filipo & Doray in Chapter 14 of Noli?"

I completely agree with Mr. Ocampo's opinion of Rizal and his relevance in today's generation. The phrase "Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere" demonstrates that Rizal's relevance today is much less. We are constantly reminded that Rizal is our national hero by looking at the one-peso coin, but we often forget the good values and characters he left us when he let himself be shot by the Spaniards. This is why, if Rizal were alive today, I also agree that he would be disappointed. Most of the country's problems are also mentioned in the talk, and according to him, Rizal is not a prophet, nor has he seen the problems we are currently facing because history does not have the ability to repeat itself. We, the people, are the ones who keep repeating history. However, as time passes, Jose Rizal has come to represent freedom and democracy. His writings, though old and gray, are still relevant and available, even legitimized and used in primary and secondary education. His death, however, has become a breaking point and a reminder to society that we can still fight for our freedom, independence, and democracy.

As public historian Ambeth Ocampo said, “Rizal is nowhere because he is not relevant to us anymore," and I absolutely agree with this statement. Yes, maybe almost all of us were aware of Rizal's identity and the struggles he fought on behalf of our nation. He gave his life for his nation, which makes him known, yet, Rizal is now taken for granted and simply valued for being a national hero. R.A. No. 1425 mandates all Rizal courses to be available in all public and private schools, colleges, and institutions' curricula. If we try to think about this, some of us just study Rizal's life and work because we are required to. However, if we consciously assess both ourselves and others, we could see that the majority of our countrymen are already contented to have known Rizal as our national hero. Only a few people will take the time to study and contemplate what Rizal actually did to help our nation achieve independence. He and his works are really too great for Filipinos to neglect. It is extremely important for the Filipino people to be aware of who really Rizal is, particularly the youth, in order for us to rededicate our lives to the ideals of independence and nationalism for which our forefathers fought and died. A tribute to Jose Rizal for dedicating his life and work to shaping the Filipino character and providing an inspiring source of patriotism.

It is amusing how the history can be relevant and useful in our current situations and to watch, listen, and learn Rizal's life. As what Mr. Ocampo said Rizal's life is the easiest to study the history as he has a lot of literary things left to us to study. Most of his works were about the contemporary issues during his time such the abuse, inequality, poverty and corruption which can still be found in the present that is why Mr. Severino have mentioned he was a bit of a prophet for it but he actually isn't a prophet its just that Filipinos haven't change that results to history seems to repeat. I also realize that yes we are aware that Rizal is a known hero for his two novels and we can see him everywhere such as in a coin, hospitals, parks and etc. but it will all be useless if we don't know the lessons we should have learn from his life and he'll be irrelevant for us to study if we won't open our eyes like what he wanted for Filipino to see what's actually happening and change for the better.

Jose Rizal being “everywhere but nowhere” is proof that he had always been relevant; but it’s also why people take him for granted. If that’s the case, what can we do to renew our appreciation for Rizal and his works? As a public historian, Professor Ambeth Ocampo is devoted to helping the general public see the relevance of history. Still, people must first have a certain level of vigor that will urge them to devote time or, at least, put in a little more effort in studying Rizal’s life and works. To do so, we must tackle the hero’s significance on a more personal level. What better way to pique one’s interest than to show what’s in it for them, right? For example, the simple joke that Mr. Ocampo’s father told him is what led the latter to wonder why Rizal wears an overcoat. Years later, Mr. Ambeth Ocampo published one of his first books, entitled “Rizal Without the Overcoat.” We may not all be able to write a book because of or about Rizal, but it made me wonder what good or great things I can learn or do from or about such an important historical figure like Rizal. Jose Rizal may be all around us but, through studying his life and works, may it also be a way for us to discover more of ourselves, of what’s inside us. I hope that more people, including myself, will develop a better understanding of Rizal-one that is as much as we have celebrated his heroism.

"He is everywhere, but he is nowhere." Rizal really goes above and beyond. We see remnants of Rizal everywhere. His face is on one-peso coins, his name on streets, hospitals, and even funeral homes. More than a hundred years after his death, his writings and ideas are still relevant. If anything, they're even more so today because we apparently haven't strayed too far from the issues he faced. As per what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo implied, our history does not repeat itself; it is us who haven’t changed, and so it is us who repeat it. Rizal remains relevant as he continuously remains an excellent source of motivation for those who call for a change. We may not be able to do everything that he did, but we can still take inspiration from his actions and his words. Imagine all the things we could do if only!

I have to concur with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo that Rizal is not only everywhere but he is nowhere. In fact, his name appears on everything, including coins, monuments, publications, schools, and even the streets. This merely indicates that Rizal continues to be significant because of their countless gratitude for the Filipinos and his numerous contributions that greatly help our country's freedom. In our viewpoint, Rizal, the expert, and prodigy, cannot be separated from Rizal, the hero. His heroism might therefore be interpreted by viewing his vast intellect as something born not of impulse but of unimaginable adversities that catapulted not only him but many others to act and "fight for the country," whatever that may entail in their different situations.

I totally agree with what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said that “Rizal is everywhere, but he is nowhere”. Despite Jose Rizal being nowhere, he is still and will always remain to be relevant to everyone, especially to us Filipinos through continuously studying and understanding about his life and works. Indeed, a good education is necessary to make and feel a change. We can create a solution for the issues that have poisoned us for a long time if we continue to choose to understand the past and draw moral lessons from it. Although he is no longer alive in our time, his significant works are still visible today and will live on.

Contrary to Ambeth Ocampo's opinion, I believe Rizal is still relevant today. Not as much as it helped in the past, but it is still important today. There is no present without a history. And it is important to know history to learn from it and live without repeating what has been done before. He stated that Filipinos did not change over the century, indeed, Filipinos haven't changed their way of thinking, and in my own perspective, it is because we are Filipinos. A Filipino will always be a Filipino, and that makes Rizal's life and work relevant until today. Rizal implied the importance of education, and I agree. Rizal's life and works will always be relevant until we learn to apply what he wants us to learn. Change will start in ourselves, we can't blame the past nor the present. We are responsible for who we are and what we will be in the future.

Rizal is everywhere, but he is nowhere because he is not relevant to us anymore, as Mr. Ocampo stated. It is true to in the context that we are familiar with Jose Rizal because he is our national hero, his sculptures are all over the place, his writings are taught in schools, and because he is the image on the one peso coin. However, few to none people read his novels, namely Noli me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. If we want to get to know him and make him relevant to us, we should read him and compare his principles with the circumstances and issues in our society. This is what Mr.Ocampo wants us to realize. In terms of resources, Rizal left a wealth of materials for us to study. It is up to us to utilize these resources to unravel the past.

Rizal Without The Overcoat (y) Sir Ambeth Ocampo.

Thoughts on the podcast as a student: “Lahat naman tayo kilala si Rizal”. Ever since preschool, I/we had been taught about Jose Rizal - that he is the Philippine national hero who was assassinated in Bagumbayan for fighting for freedom against the Spaniards. Furthermore, I/we also know about his famous novels namely Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which according to Mr. Ocampo, true enough but unfortunately, no one reads. However, even with the lessons in History about his life and in Filipino about his aforementioned novels, I admittedly do not fully understand and appreciate his relevance. I may, at some point, realize the interrelations of the plot of the novel to the current pressing societal issues but I do not further recognize everything. Reflecting on that, now, having a Rizal subject in college, I was provided with a wider and deeper perspective of who Jose Rizal is and why his legacy remains (even with many Filipinos not taking him seriously). Through the podcast, Rizal was not just a mere Filipino who died fighting for our motherland. Rather, he is someone who remains relevant up to this day because of his ideologies particularly in education as a systematic way for the betterment of our nation. Thoughts on the podcast as a Filipino citizen: I grew up believing that history repeats itself. However, my perspective changed because of what Mr. Ocampo has said that our national heroes, even Jose Rizal himself, are not prophetic to predict our current situation. It is indeed true that it is not history being a cycle, but it is us, people, who have never changed for the past century. Moreover, we should be thinking like Rizal, curing the disease (societal problems) itself and not only the symptoms.

“Rizal’s everywhere but he’s nowhere”, with this statement that Mr. Ambeth Ocampo has said, we can probably say that Rizal’s relevance to our generation today is slowly vanishing. The things that he wanted us to change 100 years ago are still the things that we should be focusing on to change during this time. The educational system should be the government’s utmost priority. The relevance of Rizal to our identity could awaken our voices to those who suffer injustices. It gives Filipinos a societal message that they should be the leaders of its governing body and not the other way around. The podcast of Mr. Howie Severino with Professor Ambeth Ocampo is a good wake up call or a message to us Filipinos to improve our mentality, our values and norms.

It is true that Rizal's historical significance continues to have an impact on our present. Rizal made numerous contributions for which the Philippines should be grateful. However, I concur with Mr. Ocampo that Rizal can be found everywhere, including on our peso coin, in libraries, parks, and even in institutions of health and education, yet he is still nowhere to be found. Regardless that Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo are two of Rizal's most well-known works, there are few Filipinos who can barely recognize them. Considering the chance that some people may not be familiar with Noli Me Tangere or El Fili at all. Hence, Rizal wrote a lot for a nation that does not read him and this is the sad truth that we refused to acknowledge.

I totally agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo’s statement about Rizal’s relevance today, “Rizal is everywhere, yet he is nowhere.” He appears on coins, in street and province names, in schools, parks, and many other places. But do you think Rizal would be proud of these recognitions? As Mr. Ocampo said, he would be somehow disappointed if he could see our situation right now. We continue to work toward realizing Rizal's vision of a society based on common knowledge. Are we making enough effort, or not? It is true that we have advanced significantly in a variety of aspects of national life. But it's also true that we do not totally change the mentality of the past 100 years. (“Our heroes were not prophetic … but rather ang mga Pilipino ay hindi nagpalit ng ugali in 100 years.”) We must understand now, as Rizal did then, that we can progress only if we cooperate, channeling our energies toward a shared objective and projecting lessons from the mistakes of the past. Let history serve as our compass as we navigate the next generation. Thank you, Mr. Ocampo!

“Rizal is everywhere but is nowhere” “The things that they told us to change a hundred years ago are still with us”. These lines told by Public Historian Ambeth Ocampo shows that Filipino people do not yet realize and practice the essence and the real message of Rizal’s writings. This is because the socio-cultural issues that are tackled in his notable works are still present in today. Rizal, he claims, is still relevant in current culture since the societal problems he criticized more than a century ago are still widespread in the Philippines today. The only difference, and the unfortunate reality, is that the new inflictors are also Filipinos. We may learn a lot from Rizal's life, such as being conscious of what is going on in our nation and refusing to tolerate injustice in our country. Hence, we must use Rizal’s writings as an inspiration for us on how to deal with current problems.

It is without a doubt that Jose Rizal is considered a Philippine National Hero due to his significant contribution to the attainment of Philippine independence. His novels represented life under the Spaniards in all its harshness. He was an awakener of Filipino consciousness and an inspiration to all the others. Rizal and his works are no longer much appreciated by Filipinos. Even though his works reflect some of the societal problems that are still faced today. And I agree with what Mr. Ambeth Ocampo said about how people think that history is being repeated. History doesn’t repeat itself, it’s the people who do not learn from it. But thanks to RA 1425, which was enacted to include in the curricula the life and works of Rizal, it gives the students a chance to deepen their understanding and appreciate what Rizal had done for the Philippines.

Ambeth Ocampo has explained very well the relevance of Rizal today. He quoted, “Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere.” If you take this statement literally, it would seem contradicting and difficult to understand. However, it has a deeper meaning and I personally agree with this statement. Rizal is everywhere because his life as a child, a doctor, a lover, and a revolutionary has been told to us a million times and his story can be seen literally on every book, website, and article we may read. It cannot be denied that he served as a beacon of hope to a lot of Filipinos because he was able to awaken the minds of his fellow countrymen about the Spanish government's abuse and also how the Spaniards took Filipinos' homes, lands, and even their dignity. With everything that has happened in the past, we Filipinos must have already been warned about what possible consequences we may face if we continue to do the same actions we made in the past. I think the very reason why Ambeth Ocampo also said that "Rizal is nowhere" because until now, there are people who still choose to turn a blind eye when it comes to abuse and other social and political problems we continue to encounter. It can be related to the quote, "History doesn't repeat itself, it is we who repeat it" because of the same actions we make despite the warnings we had from the past. Also, I can relate the quote "Knowing is not enough, we must apply". No matter how many times we are told about the relevance of Rizal, it would never be sufficient if we do not know how to apply those learnings in our present lives. In conclusion, I think Ambeth Ocampo wants us to realize that we should not only view Rizal as someone relevant due to past events, but also relevant in inspiring us Filipinos to continue what he started and use it for our greater good in the present and future especially when it comes to social and political issues we will continue to face.

Rizal is indeed is everywhere because we can literally see him on papers, books, articles, monuments; as if everything that we see around were marked by him. Although, many of us no longer see Rizal relevant and his works, I do not agree that he is insignificant in our present time. The Rizal law can testify to Rizal’s significance in our country. Thanks to this law because students like me had the chance to further the knowledge I have about him and made me appreciate more what nationalism and patriotism is all about. The youth should not forget about Rizal.

As Ambeth Ocampo says, "wala namang nagbabasa ng nobela niya". I totally agree with this. Most students only do what they have to do to pass, but does not go beyond to that. Most young people does not have interest to read his books either. But there is a lot more to learn about how important it is to study Rizal's life, struggles, and works. It's not enough to read and understand the book that Ocampo or Rizal wrote. It's more about recognizing how hard he worked and how well he did as he slowly finished his job, which was to reshape our country. Ultimately, It is a form of appreciation because it can bring out the Filipino spirit in every Filipino, especially to the youth.

A century has passed, yet Jose Rizal has indeed been everywhere but nowhere. Apart from tangible reminders of his presence, as indicated by Mr. Ambeth Ocampo, he remained relevant in the sense that his works and heroic deeds imbued Filipinos with nationalism. Along with this is the horrible truth that Filipinos have never truly changed. Sociocultural and political dilemmas are still rampant in today's society; the only difference is that we are abused not by other nations - but by our fellow countrymen. Indeed, the reason why history repeats itself in today's society is because we never learned our lesson. Rizal's conviction in education remained as the fundamental solution to modern-day problems. Knowledge allows individuals to see the truth. It teaches people to see the world in a broader sense - its beauty and its flaws. Thence, a person who truly loves his country will learn to speak against its flaws, educate those who couldn't see the truth, and embark on the pursuit of change.

During my time watching the video and listening to Mr. Ocampo in his way of explaining the relevance of Dr. Jose Rizal, I realized that Rizal set the bar high enough in his response to societal issues pertinent to his time. People of this age knew him as a foreshadower as the words and warnings evident in his writings proved prophetic. As of today, our country is left always fighting against injustices and corruption. If we meditate closely and think like Rizal, we would see that education is important. The fact that Rizal used his pen as a sword to evoke awareness of his fatherland, can we also use education to enlighten today’s generation. Rizal was never a future teller, in this case, Filipinos have never changed at all. He and his greatest works would always be relevant because we can always learn from the past on our way to resolving the present.

Ambeth Ocampo pointed out that “Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere.” Everyone knows who Rizal is as he is seen on coins, monuments, statues, and is being studied in school. However, despite that everyone knows who he is, his relevance today is not always clear, and we tend to take him for granted. His relevance in our present time lies not just in knowing about him but in how we can learn from him and incorporate his beliefs and the ideas that he set forth. People may say that he predicted the future, but the truth is that the issues and problems that he saw back then are still present today. That is why it is important to study Rizal’s life and works because it allows us to draw inspiration and have a better idea of the change that our country needs.

According to Professor Ambeth Ocampo, “Rizal is everywhere, but he is nowhere.” This phrase caught my attention because it is indeed the truth. It explains that even with the statue, face embedded in a coin, hospitals, or funeral homes under Rizal’s name, he is not as relevant as before. However, if we continue to talk about him and ask questions that are relevant to him, then we might have the chance to spark curiosity about his identity in other people. Moreover, Rizal is one of the easiest to discuss and understand since he wrote a wide range of novels, which may provide us with a thorough understanding of him. At the end of the day, education is the most effective weapon to enlighten people and have enough power to change the world.

It was accurate as Professor Ambeth Ocampo says “Rizal is everywhere, but he is nowhere”. His name may be seen everywhere, including on coins, on schools, on streets, and on a number of monuments. We have the Rizal Law, also known as RA 1425, that mandates the study of Rizal's life and works. This is to study and spread the ideals, teaching and exemplary life of Rizal especially to the youth. Jose Rizal is keep alive through studying his life because of his lasting legacy. This signifies that even though he is no longer with us, we will never forget the Filipino people's unending appreciation for everything that he heroically did to achieve our country's freedom. Generation after generation will continue to get it eternally. As Filipino, we shall come together as one, just as Rizal had envisioned. Professor Ambeth Ocampo was an excellent historian. His definitive publications on José Rizal, and Philippine history are what made him famous.

In Howie Severino’s podcast, Ambeth Ocampo is a public historian that brings Philippine history closer to Filipinos. Furthermore, he devoted himself to making our history relevant and significant where he reveals previously unknown stories and facts about our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal. Ambeth Ocampo emphasized the value of our country's history and acknowledged its heroes which is why he has made significant contributions to our country, particularly in the preservation of Philippine history. Every one of us would not know what happened in the past without him and the other researchers, and our generation would not change if there were no inspiration to change. While listening to the podcast, Mr. Severino asked Mr. Ocampo about the relevance of Dr. Jose Rizal in modern times, upon hearing that question, I became interested in what would be the answer of Mr. Ambeth Ocampo in our country’s history, and I realized how important it is to study the history. The relevance is that everybody knows Dr. Rizal since we can see his monument in Manila, we can see him in a one-peso coin, we can be born in a hospital that is named after Rizal, and even if we die, we can have our funeral named after Rizal. I had favorite lines from the podcast that Mr. Ocampo said, all of which contained extremely very informative and insightful facts and messages. He said that “Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere and he is nowhere because he’s not relevant to us anymore.’’ From that specific statement of Mr. Ocampo, I felt a little upset because he was meant to be well-known for his writings, but only a few people in this generation are reading them. Mr. Ambeth Ocampo chose Dr. Rizal not for being his favorite hero but for the fact that he is the easiest way to study because he gives us 25 volumes of his writings such as his letters, diary, and even the receipts of his expenses. Another line that I will never forget that Mr. Ocampo said, “Ang kasaysayan, hindi nag-uulit. Wala namang power ang kasaysayan para mag-ulit, ang nag-uulit ng kasaysayan ay tayo, tao.’’ This line affects me the most because we as human beings are the ones who are kept on repeating the same mistakes that can lead us to the wrong path that the past generation has gone through. And lastly, Mr. Ocampo said that the things we complain about today, are the symptoms which it is not the real disease. This implies that even though we cure the symptoms but we are not going to cure the disease there will be no change that will occur. And the most important thing to achieve the changes in the Philippines society is education because if we change our perspective and how we communicate with each other our country will achieve the betterment that we need. Dr. Rizal said that what is the use of independence if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow, he emphasizes this because even though we changed our government but if we do not have our education and our manners are still bad, there will be no change at all because Dr. Rizal does have a high standard on how we should be. The podcast taught me a lot of things not just about him being a historian but also from the act that he advised on how we should pursue our goals. Mr. Ocampo also emphasized that we should at the very least recall our history to preserve it. I am very grateful as a student that Mr. Ambeth Ocampo shared his different knowledge as an academic and public historian about what are the important happenings in the past. I admire him the most because he did everything to uncover the important facts that other researchers had missed. Furthermore, he also gave insights that I can use not in the present times but also the future. To all of us, history is important because it made us who we are in this generation and also for the next generation. History has pushed us to achieve more and do better for our country and we cannot deny that studying history will be greatly useful to our forefathers, particularly to our Filipino heroes who sacrificed their life not just for our country but also for the citizens themselves. I learned that researching the past is worthwhile because it allows us to fulfill our curiosity and to preserve our history that can be passed from generation to generation and the past has shaped us into better people with a better country. There is no doubt that we can learn more about our history through the efforts of our Filipino researchers, which can serve as our inspiration in the present and future, and by simply showing the importance of our history, let us all appreciate what our ancestors sacrifice to have this kind of freedom.

It really is saddening that the country did not change much amidst our heroes’ sacrifices for the betterment of the country and their fellowmen. It hit when Ambeth Ocampo said that it is not history that repeats, rather, it is the people that repeats history. It is the truth when they talked about how people see Rizal as prophetic and he is still relevant today because his legacy still connects to us and the current problems. Only some realized that it isn’t the case-it is because we still haven’t changed-and it might be because people don’t really exert effort on learning or knowing more about our history. People, indeed, should know more about history so that they also realize what our country truly had become. I agree that education is important in enlightening us, but then, it also depends on the quality of education we get.

In the past, Filipinos are fond of Rizal, they would even prepare a lot of activities to celebrate his birthday and commemorate his death anniversary but as we can see today his relevance is not distinguishable at all. Indeed, “Rizal’s everywhere but he is nowhere”, Jose Rizal is no longer as significant as how he was in the past, youths of today only know him by name, as a national hero, and as a writer, but aside from that Rizal is neither significant nor relevant to their lives as a Filipino. Rizal’s impact could only be seen because we study his life and works, but if Rizal Law wasn’t constituted, Rizal would be totally forgotten by the present generation. Yes, we learn about his life and works but we aren’t studying deeper than that, hence his ideologies and principles don’t make much impact on people nowadays. Literally, Rizal is now known only as a part of our Philippine history, which is now slowly being forgotten by the people he had sacrificed his life for. As students, we read his two novels but that’s it, we learned about the characters and the story but that’s only the shallow part of learning his works. We haven’t really criticized every single detail of the story, hence, we couldn’t view its significance to our history. Filipinos couldn’t see the relevance of Rizal’s works to our current issues, thus the value of reading the novels is gone. I also think that the reason why Jose Rizal’s relevance disappeared from the Filipinos today is that people have stopped being curious about him, they have stopped knowing more about Jose Rizal, maybe because they thought they already knew everything about him. I agree with Mr. Ambeth Ocampo that Filipinos haven’t changed even after over 100 years. Even after gaining independence from the colonizers, the Philippines is still the same because its people haven’t changed. Thus, I also approve of his statement that it isn’t about history repeating itself, because history has already passed but it seems as if we’re still living in the same society as in Rizal’s time, however, we aren’t under colonization anymore.

We know Rizal as the paragon of nationalism and he remained an icon for over a century, hence, people nowadays only read and know about his life because it is required in school but many devoted themselves and became the hope of the nation that aims to make a change to break this cycle. Rizal served as a role model and remained relevant because his spirit remains in the ambition of many seeking change because they saw themselves through Rizal and developed a sense of patriotism to try and educate people because it is made evident that people haven't learned and they keep repeating past mistakes and it is clear that education is the only cure for the ignorance that became cancer to our society.

Professor Ambeth Ocampo's take on Jose Rizal being "everywhere but nowhere" is an indication that he had and will forever be significant; but why do people underestimate and neglect him? This has been our generation’s toughest battle, we ought to forget and take for granted our history when we should and never not. Professor Ambeth Ocampo, as a historian, is committed to aiding the Filipinos, mostly the casual audience, to see the importance of history. In any case, as Filipinos, we should have a deeper sense of partaking and understanding our history because it was the key to setting us forth to our freedom and independence thus, reestablishing our appreciation for Rizal and his works should be of help in igniting our hearts to go deeper than the surface of our history. His works shouldn't just be held onto appreciation because it would open the eyes of the Filipinos, particularly the youth. More than ever, this is the most convincing time to introduce him since some see him as insignificant and neglected his hard-fought battles to fight for our country. We may have benefited from his works and they might have studied them countless times but it will never be sufficient. As long as social and political issues exist, Rizal stays significant in our lives. Jose Rizal's illustration of nationalism shouldn't be neglected, and current Filipinos should do well to imitate his bravery and courage in their own little ways.

“Rizal is everywhere but he is nowhere.” This statement from Mr. Ambeth Ocampo got my attention as I have realized what he meant by it. Everyone knows who Rizal is, we have been taught about the things he did for our country to obtain independence from Spain. Nowadays, we can see numerous trademarks, places, products, and such in our country that are being named after him. Also, his works, which is supposed to widen our views about the events that are happening around us, are being taught in schools. Despite these things being available, his presence in today’s generation seems to be slowly fading. By his presence, I mean the messages he was trying to convey to us through his works. For someone who is considered a hero, I think we failed to properly value him and his works. The problems from his time are still existing up to this date because we haven’t learned from it. This is the reason why some think of him as a prophet. Everything is just relatively the same even if we achieved freedom more than a hundred year ago. It is like being free from foreign colonizers just to be a victim of our fellow countrymen. If only we brought his lessons from his works with us, I think we wouldn’t be encountering the main problem of the country during the 19th century. If Rizal is truly relevant today, we should be far already from the situation we are experiencing now.

Learning something new from something old brings out its relevance per se by comparing what has happened then to what is happening now. Relating it to Prof. Ambeth Ocampo's perspective on how history does not repeat itself shows that even after our reclaimed "freedom," Filipinos remained unable to rise from their system. The latter showed that Rizal wasn't prophetic at all people are just trapped in how the society raised them - not everchanging in terms of social and political sense. Not much has changed, except that the slaves of yesterday became the tyrants of today, which Rizal hoped not to happen. Nevertheless, the influence of Rizal’s words despite his absence can be observed just by how the statements above are very accurate with our current situation. His relevance wouldn’t last to this very day if it didn’t make that big of an impact. People who view Rizal as someone overrated, is someone who definitely didn’t study about his life and works. To let the Rizal’s legacy live on, people of this generation should learn to how utilize the things made available to them wisely (especially the priveleged), as much as they possibly can; like education, self-improvement, as well as their valuable dynamic views on how a proper society should be and to make ways in achieving it.

The talk between Howie Severino and Ambeth Ocampo invites us to rethink our views and perceptions of our heroes. We have reached a point where many people no longer see our national heroes as relevant. As Ambeth Ocampo once remarked: Jose Rizal is everywhere, yet he is nowhere. Like Rizal, many of our heroes were immortalized in coins, books, landmarks, and numerous monuments-but how well do we know our heroes? Were they just a litany of dead people who once walked on our land? For heroes to remain relevant, they must mean something to society. At some point, our heroes have lived and served their purpose. However, their contributions and significance to our lives and society should not end with that. We are condemned to repeat our history if we will take no lessons from it. Thus, may we embody Rizal and our heroes’ ideals and aspirations to live in a society they have fought for.

"The slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow," Mr. Ambeth Ocampo's line will resonate with today's generation, particularly those who choose to remain silent and turn a blind eye to the social and political issues we face. If people can appreciate Rizal's relevance in our society today, his life, works, and death should have been more meaningful. His inquisitiveness and eagerness to reclaim our independence are the reasons he should still be relevant today, but because he is nowhere to be found, people have begun to abandon him as someone who should be forgotten. Don't you think this is the most compelling reason for reintroducing him? Because some regard him as unimportant. They believe that people have already learned from his writings and that being educated is enough, but this is not the case. Education can blind us, and in order to see clearly, we must apply what we learn in our daily lives. Rizal remains relevant in our lives as long as social and political issues exist. He is a call to action for us to do better, to stand and fight for our beloved country. He may be in the past, but he will always haunt us in the present if we do not follow his lead.

"Philippine heroes are not prophetic," said Mr. Ambeth Ocampo. The statement that will clear our clouded minds with our created myths in our minds that we must bear in mind that they are the ones who wrote history with their own lives together with their dreams and goals. They did not guess nor predict the future of our country but asking their own selves 'what can I do to save my beloved country and fellowmen?' Supernatural power is not the thing for our brave heroes, but it is the power of their strong will to make a change for every Filipino in the past, present, and future. Mr. Ambeth Ocampo was right in what he said, "The things that they told us to change are still with us." We are still the same in thoughts and beliefs. We think that history repeats itself, but the hard truth is that we are the ones who repeatedly remake history. To my fellow students, the only question is, 'Is Jose Rizal relevant in our lives?' To Mr. Ambeth Ocampo, thank you for a mind-opening interview. I have a chance to ask myself what is significant in learning about the life of Dr. Jose Rizal. I will also bring with me the lesson that education is the key to a change in the last statement of Mr. Ambeth Ocampo in the interview that Jose Rizal has a high standard of what we should be.

It was indeed true that Rizal was everywhere, even though he was nowhere. He does not exist anymore in our current time, but his notable works are seen everywhere, literally on coins, in paper, places or streets, and many monuments around the Philippines. We all know his biological name, biography, and famous novels like Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. I think he is still relevant today because we still have those norms of our character that describe his novel. I think it will never change. Society’s problems are still there, and they continue to arise as time passes by. We are no longer colonized by the Spaniards, but they have left a trace of greed for power and corruption that we currently experience. One of Mr. Ambeth Ocampo's remarks is, "You cure the symptoms, but if you are not curing the disease, walang mangyayari." In this line, it enlightens me that if we want a change in our society, we must do it first in ourselves. The importance of education must really apply to individuals, like what Jose Rizal was trying to convey to us. It’s really different when you have knowledge. It can widen or expand your perspective in life, not focusing on a micro base. It was a really good point that when Mr. Ambeth Ocampo speaks, he will enlighten us on what the present generation needs to know and the value of Rizal’s work as of today and for the future.

Most people wonder why it is important to study Rizal’s life. “He is everywhere, but he is nowhere”, a phrase alone that I believe Rizal continues to be relevant today as a model for all young Filipinos who aspire to break barriers and achieve more than the ordinary. Except for the fact that Mr. Ocampo opposed to Rizal being viewed as a prophet, Rizal will undoubtedly become a hero if this viewpoint is accepted. His letters, journals, and writings make it quite evident that he had meticulously planned every aspect of his existence, even the manner of his death was not something he did by accident. Unfortunately, we never saw what Rizal would have been if he had lived longer. Indeed, heroes like Rizal remain to be the light with which we may see the road, but it is us who must travel this road. To conclude, what I think that Mr. Ocampo’s message is that the question we ask today is whether or not today's youth have proven themselves worthy of the legacy left by our national hero.