A Mother’s Ardor

         A mother’s love to her child cannot be matched. It is selfless, undying, incomparable and infinite. She will go to great lengths just to prove her love to her child – not that she needed to prove it, but just because she wants to. Every mother wants the best for everyone. From the Virgin Mary herself to the mothers we have today, they all epitomize a mother’s ardent love. And this was also the case for our national hero’s mother, Donya Teodora Alonzo. 

In Jose Rizal’s “The Injustice Done To My Mother,” Rizal has narrated how his mother has been sent to prison just because of her simple desire to help her brother. Jose Rizal’s uncle, Don Jose Alberto, returned from Europe and found out that his wife had left him. Donya Teodora helped Don Jose take back his wife but alas, the ungrateful wife merely plotted with a guardia civil officer to accuse his own uncle and mother. Such wretched acts could have contributed to Jose Rizal’s own hatred for the Spanish government. In fact by the end of the essay, he mentions that he knew there was “unhappiness that was in store” for him. Any mother’s imprisonment would leave her child devastated. In spite of this, Jose Rizal did not despair but used this as a driving force to fight the Spaniards.

            One could argue that Donya Teodora Alonzo deserved this treatment for meddling with Don Jose Alberto’s disputes, or that she trusted the officer and alkalde too much leaving her surprised by their decisions. There is also the argument if this was the starting point of Jose Rizal’s aversion to the Spaniards. “The Injustice Done To My Mother” can be considered a mere recounting of Donya Teodora’s forlorn past and at the same time, symbolized Jose Rizal’s sad childhood.

Without a doubt, there was injustice. Donya Teodora wanted to help his brother as any sibling would. She wanted things to be better for everyone. But what did this result to? Undue process and imprisonment. As stated by Rizal, the guardia civil officer and the alkalde himself were often guests in their house. They are considered friends of the Rizal family but inequality prevailed. The alkalde treated Donya Teodora unethically and even brutally. He wanted her to confess to something she didn’t do. He wanted to humiliate her in exchange of freedom, in exchange of going back to her family. The humble mother agreed because like any mother, she wanted to be with her family. Manila’s top lawyers helped Jose Rizal’s family but the justice they all badly wanted was only given after two and a half years.

            Donya Teodora isn’t the one to blame here nor is his brother. The ungrateful wife of Don Jose Alberto can be blamed but she also exposed the malpractices of the government. The guardia civil officer and alkalde can also be blamed but they just enacted what’s going on inside the government. The prevalence of injustice and malpractices inside the government is the root cause of the problem. Nothing seems to be done regarding this matter and so Filipinos back then suffered from it. Donya Teodora Alonzo is one of the many who endured such injustice. The Spanish government ridiculed Filipinos, hurting and disgracing them in the process. Those inside the very government who ruled the Philippines are to be blamed. Eventually, their own actions will get back to them.

Donya Teodora Alonzo was a humble woman. Her family detested the government yet during those times, they weren’t as brave as we all know them today. She was sick inside the prison but she did not falter. However, they could have done something more. In her two and a half years in the prison, the family could have lobbied for justice. They could talk to the alkalde and plead for mercy. They could tap into more people to join the fight against injustice. They could expose what was going on and who is to blame for their misfortune. But then again, the Spaniards were powerful. They could have done something more but for what purpose? Will the Spaniards give in to their requests? Will all their actions be in vain?

            There was injustice back then as it is today. Have the Philippines really moved on? Are there any changes between Rizal’s time and our own? Some would say nothing much has changed. However, we would still continue the fight – the fight for justice and a better Philippines.