Ambeth Ocampo delivers lectures on Rizal in Madrid

Philippine historian Dr. Ambeth Ocampo delivered a lecture on national hero Dr. Jose Rizal at the Salon de Actos of the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Madrid as part of activities marking Rizal's 150th birth anniversary. According to a news release of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Ocampo, a renowned Philippine historian, professor, columnist, and author, held the lecture during the event organized by the embassy and the Museo Nacional de Antropologia on June 16. "The lecture, entitled 'Rotten Beef and Stinking Fish: Jose Rizal and the Writing of Philippine History,' was enthusiastically received by the audience composed of well-known Filipinistas, enthusiasts of Rizal and the Philippines, members of the Knights of Rizal Madrid Chapter, and the Filipino community," the DFA said. Ocampo's lecture was derived from Antonio de Morga's description of the food of the indios in his book "Sucesos de las Islas," which was published in 1609 and subsequently annotated and republished by Rizal in 1889. Ocampo said Rizal's annotations of the Sucesos de las Islas prove that he was the first person to write Philippine history from a Filipino's point of view. Rizal as a young man in Europe Ocampo shared with his audience rare photographs of Rizal showing him as an ordinary young man enjoying his stay in Europe. "This aspect of Rizal´s life is mostly obscured because of the myth surrounding his persona as a national hero. He went on to say that Rizal´s greatest misfortune was being named national hero as it masked his true greatness as an individual and as a Filipino," the DFA said. The DFA added Ocampo´s lecture brought together renowned Filipinistas in Madrid, such as Pilar Romero de Tejada, Dolores Elizalde, Rafael Rodriguez-Ponga, and Carlos Madrid. Elizalde informed the public of a Rizal exhibit organized by the Biblioteca Nacional which will open in the fall of this year. Meanwhile, Ponga said 2012 is the 200th anniversary of the Cadiz Constitution which started liberal reforms in Spain and its colonies particularly on how they were governed. He voiced hopes that with this anniversary, Spain and the rest of the world will be able to take lessons from the successes and failures of the Cadiz Constitution. - VVP, GMA News