(Un)common Sense by James Veloso
(Un)Common Sense

Historical revisionism

May 13, 2021, 10:25 PM
James Veloso

James Veloso

Writer/Columnist

THE issue of historical revisionism – and what should constitute as fact – has become a very hot topic these days on social media.

Following the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Mactan last April, some personalities raised an improbable claim that Lapu-Lapu the hero of the battle of Mactan, was actually a Tausug or a Moro.

Evidence available so far had failed to pinpoint where did Lapu-Lapu actually came from, according to historians.

Let’s also remember that in those days, natives wrote records in highly perishable bamboo stalks or leaves, and the Spaniards who visited Cebu in 1521 had neither the time nor the inclination to trace Lapu-Lapu’s roots.

All we know for sure is that Lapu-Lapu and his troops defeated and killed the Portuguese leader Ferdinand Magellan, who led the 1521 Spanish expedition that “discovered” the Philippines for the west.

--o0o--

And with elections fast coming, I was surprised (but not surprised) to see that historical revisionism has gone all the way to the local level.

In San Pedro City, a long-time resident posted a bold assertion that our national hero, Jose Rizal, had roots in San Pedro through his father Francisco Mercado.

The post claims that Rizal's grandmother on his father's side was a native of San Pedro City, Laguna.

Honestly, I was a bit surprised when I saw that.

Historical records so far available had shown both sides of Rizal's family - the Mercado and the Alonso - were from Binan City.

Heck, I can't remember San Pedro City lauding the national hero's roots as much as Binan City did.

Aside from unveiling a statue of Francisco Mercado at the town plaza, the Binan City government undertook a time-consuming and expensive campaign to save and restore the so-called "Alberto Mansion," which was owned by Teodora Alonso's family.

As of press time, historians in San Pedro and Binan have yet to give their thoughts on these claims.

But I would like to warn as early as now that politicians and their minions will say ANYTHING just to connect themselves with the people.

--o0o--

A few weeks ago, OpinYon Laguna bannered a story about the province's doctors being "divided" on the use of ivermectin as Covid-19 treatment.

Now, however, a group of 41 medical groups in the Philippines are speaking up against the indiscriminate use of ivermectin.

While some doctors still believe that the anti-parasitic drug can relieve Covid-19 symptoms, the use of the drug on Covid-19 treatment is still prohibited by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) except for some exceptional "compassionate use" instances.

I've also heard reports of some doctors saying that some ivermectin users not only contracted Covid-19 but also had to deal with the drug's side effects.

I have to grant that people nowadays are desperate for a "miracle cure" as Covid-19 continues to wreak havoc around the world.

But instead of taking science into our own hands, maybe we should listen more to the people who endlessly work hard to help end this seemingly never-ending nightmare that is Covid-19.


We take a stand
OpinYon News logo

Designed and developed by Simmer Studios.

© 2024 OpinYon News. All rights reserved.