Laong Laan is a play about the life, the love, and the
passion of the greatest Filipino who ever lived, Jose Protacio Rizal.
As I searched for the meaning of Laong Laan I found out that
Jose Rizal used this as a penname in the 1890s when he wrote poems and articles
for La Solidaridad, then the Propaganda Movement's strongest voice. Literally
translated it means "reserved for a long time" and figuratively it
means "laging handa" or "ever ready."
Being ready or being prepared at all times is just one of the many lessons I
have learned in Laong Laan. Rizal was and is still an inspiration in school, at
work and in life. It was a good feeling watching the play because it is like
watching him during his time. It was very inspiring to see how he sacrificed
his life, how he fought for his ideals and how he showed the love for his
country and the people.
During his travels abroad, Rizal remembered his country and his patriotism
inspired the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, which reawakened the
sense of nationalism among Filipinos. These novels until now remind us to have
courage and to contribute for the betterment of our country.
Laong Laan also reminded us that aside
from Rizal's works and martyrdom, he was a disciplined man. He kept
educating himself and kept his body fit because he knew he was a sickly man.
Rizal was a disciplinarian and we Filipinos should not forget this. It is
through this discipline and focus that Rizal, the ordinary man, was able to do
things extraordinarily.
