More than a century after Gen. Gregorio ‘Goyo’ del Pilar sacrificed his life for the country’s freedom, his legacy continues to inspire young Filipinos to uphold courage, honor, and responsibility.
Hundreds of students watched ‘Goyo @150: Para sa Bayan,’ Dulang Musikal ng Kabayanihan on Wednesday, June 24, as part of Bulakan town’s 128th celebration of its liberation from Spanish rule.
For 16-year-old Dan Raven Pineda of Assumpta Academy, the recent fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City highlighted the importance of thinking before acting.
‘One moral lesson us youth should learn from this is to think and rethink our actions and not just express or act on whatever comes to our minds,’ he said.
Pineda added: ‘What happened in Tacloban National High School was a very serious matter and an attack on the lives of three fellow young people whose dreams died with them.’
Seventeen-year-old Elaiva dela Cruz also stressed the need for accountability.
‘Someone must be held accountable. Those who committed the crime should answer for what they did,’ she said.
Pineda said the musical deepened his admiration for del Pilar.
‘We in this generation feel enormously proud and truly fortunate that Gen. Goyo came from our town,’ he said. ‘He is a genuine Filipino hero. We salute him for sacrificing his life for our country and our freedom.’
Dela Cruz said the production gave students a glimpse of the sacrifices made by Filipino heroes.
‘We felt as though we were living during Gen. Goyo’s time more than a hundred years ago. We saw the struggles and hardships our ancestors endured under foreign rule,’ she said.
The production, presented by Kabesera Inc., traced del Pilar’s life from his childhood in Bulakan to his final stand at the Battle of Tirad Pass.
Kabesera Inc. founder Vicente ‘Bong’ Enriquez urged today’s youth to value honor, integrity, and patriotism.
‘Our desire is for the heroism of Del Pilar to remain alive and become a lasting legacy for future generations,’ he said.
‘Through this production, we hope to inspire the youth to emulate his patriotism,’ Enriquez added.
Gemma Santos, president of Kabesera Inc., likewise challenged young Filipinos to serve the nation.